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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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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 · arm · dip · bear · swing · shower · track

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. shower — to wash
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. track — a song
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bark — to shout
  21. track — a path
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. swing — music
  24. arm — part of the body

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