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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. row — a line
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. spell — a short time
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bowl — a football final
  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