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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: lash · bear · bark · game · ruler · dip · cabinet · rash

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. game — wild animals
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. game — a match
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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