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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. suit — clothes
  7. club — a group
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fine — high quality
  10. stock — goods
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stock — shares
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bark — to shout
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. club — for golf
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. root — of a word
  20. root — the cause
  21. fine — all right
  22. root — of a plant
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. club — for dancing

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