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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — of the year
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. branch — a division
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. object — a thing
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. season — in sport
  15. object — an aim
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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