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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · straw · roll · bark · lash · safe · press · saw

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. roll — a list
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. saw — the tool
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. press — a publisher
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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