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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. file — a document
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. kid — to tease
  15. staff — employees
  16. mine — for digging
  17. kid — child
  18. file — a tool
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. file — a line of people
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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