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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: fork · fine · bat · lash · bowl · squash · bark · ruler

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. squash — the sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fine — all right
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. fork — a garden tool

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