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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — for money
  8. track — a song
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bank — for money
  15. tear — to rip
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. track — a path
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com