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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: racket · leaves · bark · prune · lash · rest · ruler · rash

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. prune — to trim
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rash — a series
  24. bark — of a tree

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