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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. spell — a short time
  3. charge — a price
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. track — to keep track
  9. charge — in control
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. track — a path
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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