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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: lean · calf · temple · bark · lash · foot · bass · wound

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. foot — a measure
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. wound — an injury
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bass — low music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bass — the fish
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to rest against

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