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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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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: lash · swing · tear · rash · drill · bark · toast · safe

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — to shout
  3. swing — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. swing — in golf
  10. tear — from crying
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. tear — to rip
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. toast — bread
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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