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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: band · bark · mouse · last · rock · mate · can · lash

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rock — music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. last — finally
  12. band — a ring
  13. last — final
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mate — a friend
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. mate — a partner
  20. band — a music group
  21. last — to go on
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mouse — the animal

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