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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: bark · suit · arm · lash · fork · patient · rash · rock

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. rash — a series
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rock — a stone
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fork — in a road
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bark — to shout
  22. rock — music
  23. suit — to fit
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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