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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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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: fine · lash · bark · fork · clip · mug · present · race

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. clip — a video
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. race — humankind
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. clip — for paper
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fork — in a road
  9. present — there
  10. mug — a face
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. clip — to cut
  14. present — the time now
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. race — a contest
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mug — to rob
  23. present — a gift
  24. fine — all right

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