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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: lash · fan · bark · key · bound · plane · craft · face

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  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. bark — a dog's sound
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bound — certain
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. key — in music
  7. face — to point toward
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bark — to shout
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bound — obliged
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — boats
  18. key — the most important part
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. key — for a lock
  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