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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · bark · staff · season · spell · lash · cell · board

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  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 — a dog's sound
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. spell — magic
  6. board — a committee
  7. spell — letters
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. present — the time now
  10. staff — employees
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. spell — a short time
  17. present — a gift
  18. season — in sport
  19. bark — to shout
  20. staff — a stick
  21. board — to get on
  22. season — of the year
  23. present — there
  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