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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bark — to shout
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wind — moving air
  9. staff — employees
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. roll — a list
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bulb — for light
  20. staff — employees
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. rash — on the skin

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