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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 120 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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. drill — the tool
  4. swing — to play on
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pop — soda
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pop — music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. drill — a practice
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bark — to shout
  15. swing — music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lean — thin
  21. drill — army training
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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