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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. track — a path
  4. fine — all right
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bank — for money
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. suit — clothes
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lash — to lash out

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