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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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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: spell · sharp · bark · lash · bowl · lean · roll · mate

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. lean — to bend
  3. roll — a list
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lean — thin
  8. spell — letters
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spell — magic
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. mate — a partner
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bowl — a football final

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