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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: rash · plane · bark · lie · bay · spell · staff · swing

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — hasty
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. staff — employees
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lie — to recline
  10. staff — employees
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spell — magic
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. swing — music
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bark — to shout
  18. staff — a stick
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. spell — letters
  21. plane — a tool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rash — a series
  24. spell — a short time

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