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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: bat · lash · net · bark · scale · drill · bay · firm

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. drill — the tool
  4. net — in sport
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. net — after costs
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — steady
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. net — for catching
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. drill — army training
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. firm — decided
  19. bark — to shout
  20. firm — a company
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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