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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: track · pitcher · lash · fine · tear · lie · content · bark

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. track — a song
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. content — happy
  9. fine — all right
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — a path
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. tear — from crying
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lie — to recline

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