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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 116 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rest — a break
  7. bass — the fish
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. rest — what's left

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