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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: net · foot · safe · bark · swing · bound · lash · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bound — tied together
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bound — obliged
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — for catching
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bound — certain
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. net — in sport
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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