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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mate — a partner
  17. tube — a container
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bark — to shout
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mate — to breed

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