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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 116 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: firm · lash · wake · stand · bark · spell · swing · pass

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. spell — letters
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wake — a trail
  7. spell — a short time
  8. swing — music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. firm — a company
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spell — magic
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. firm — decided
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. firm — steady

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