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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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. date — the fruit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. current — of water
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bark — to shout
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rock — music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — obliged
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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