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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.

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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: lash · tube · deal · bark · saw · safe · mate · ground

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mate — a friend
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. ground — crushed
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ground — a position
  19. mate — a partner
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bark — to shout

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