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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ground — crushed
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. club — for golf
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — after costs
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. club — a group
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. club — for dancing
  21. net — in sport
  22. branch — a division
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bark — to shout

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