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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. toast — bread
  3. rock — music
  4. bark — to shout
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rock — a stone
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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