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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 · snap · suit · bass · nail · bark · deal · club

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bark — to shout
  6. club — for dancing
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. club — a group
  15. bass — low music
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. snap — to click
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. club — for golf
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bass — the fish

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