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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: rule · nail · bark · snap · prune · racket · lash · firm

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — steady
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rule — a law
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. prune — to trim
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rule — government
  11. firm — a company
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. firm — decided
  23. snap — to click
  24. prune — to trim

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