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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: lash · hand · suit · wind · band · safe · season · bark

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. suit — to fit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. wind — moving air
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hand — in cards
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. hand — help
  18. season — of the year
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wind — moving air
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. season — in sport

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