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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wound — an injury
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. snap — to click
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bark — to shout

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