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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 120 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: bowl · swing · suit · lash · land · present · rock · bark

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. present — a gift
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. suit — to fit
  8. land — to come down
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — in cards
  13. present — the time now
  14. land — a country
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — music
  18. bark — to shout
  19. swing — to play on
  20. land — ground
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rock — music
  24. present — there

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