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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: lash · safe · spell · land · fan · pitcher · suit · bark

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. land — ground
  4. suit — clothes
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — letters
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spell — a short time
  10. land — a country
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. land — to come down
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — to shout
  23. spell — magic
  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