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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: cabinet · scale · bark · foot · bay · mark · lash · rock

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — a grade
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rock — music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bark — to shout
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. scale — in music
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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