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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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. band — a music group
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mark — a grade
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. band — a ring
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — thin
  20. plane — a tool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bark — to shout
  24. ruler — a monarch

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