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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 120 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: stock · lash · ruler · snap · safe · deal · calf · bark

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bark — to shout
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. snap — to click
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. deal — to handle
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. safe — out of danger

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