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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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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: plane · charge · lash · tear · craft · bound · bark · racket

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. tear — from crying
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bark — to shout
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — a price
  18. tear — from crying
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bound — tied together

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