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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · bark · lash · spell · mark · bowl

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. spell — a short time
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. spell — magic
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. spell — letters
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mark — a grade
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool

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