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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — a container
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. swing — music
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bank — for money
  13. spring — the season
  14. bank — of a river
  15. swing — in golf
  16. spring — of water
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. tube — the underground

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