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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 116 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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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 · nail · bay · bark · pit · file · ball · rock

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. file — a line of people
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. file — a document
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. file — a tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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