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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: bark · key · spell · club · lash · racket · staff · hide

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. spell — magic
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bark — to shout
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. club — for dancing
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. staff — employees
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. key — in music
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. spell — letters
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. key — for a lock
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. club — a group
  21. staff — employees
  22. key — the most important part
  23. staff — a stick
  24. club — for golf

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