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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. vault — a safe
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. band — a ring
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. content — happy
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. content — the amount
  16. can — to be able to
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. band — a music group
  23. spell — letters
  24. pop — to visit

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