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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 116 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: stand · lash · tube · cabinet · present · trunk · can · bark

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. present — a gift
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bark — to shout
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. present — there
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. can — to be able to
  12. present — the time now
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stand — to bear
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. lash — an eyelash

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