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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: prune · racket · lash · ruler · squash · bark · toast · nail

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. squash — the sport
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bark — to shout
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. squash — to crush

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