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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: track · bark · bass · spell · rash · ruler · lash · can

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spell — letters
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. can — a tin
  10. rash — a series
  11. bass — low music
  12. spell — a short time
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rash — hasty
  15. spell — magic
  16. can — to be able to
  17. track — a song
  18. can — a tin
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. track — a path

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