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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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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: lash · bowl · bank · rest · nail · bark · stick · plane

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bank — for money
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bowl — to roll

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