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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rash — a series
  8. deal — to handle
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. chest — a box
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. chest — of your body
  23. present — there
  24. deal — a big deal

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