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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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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 · rock · bark · pound · charge · straw · deal · scale

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. rock — a stone
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. scale — in music
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bark — to shout
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pound — a weight
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. deal — to handle
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rock — music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. charge — in control
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lash — to lash out

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