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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: bark · lean · lash · stick · wake · safe · plane · suit

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — to bend
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. suit — clothes
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lean — thin
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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