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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: squash · wave · lash · bore · bowl · mark · snap · bark

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. squash — to crush
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. snap — to click
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mark — a trace
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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