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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 120 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: bay · fine · charge · hide · lash · wound · bark · prune

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wound — an injury
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wound — an injury
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — to shout
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — a price
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. charge — in control

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