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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. can — a tin
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. land — a country
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a great time
  8. club — for golf
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. land — ground
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. land — to come down
  17. ball — a dance
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. season — of the year
  21. bark — to shout
  22. club — a group
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — in sport

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