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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. shower — rain
  9. tube — a container
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lean — to bend
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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