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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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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 · bark · rash · hand · bore · pass · bay · can

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. bore — to tire
  4. can — a tin
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rash — a series
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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