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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — a series
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bark — to shout
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. ground — a position
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ground — crushed
  24. lash — an eyelash

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