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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.

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: season · lash · snap · safe · ball · board · bark · mark

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. snap — to click
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. season — of the year
  21. board — to get on
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ball — a great time

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