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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 120 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
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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: lash · suit · bark · clip · key · mark · row · season

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mark — a trace
  3. clip — for paper
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — a line
  8. season — in sport
  9. key — in music
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. clip — a video
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. row — to paddle
  19. clip — to cut
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. key — the most important part

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