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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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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: stem · bank · squash · bark · bear · patient · vault · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bark — to shout
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. squash — to crush
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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