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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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · safe · suit · chair · bark · shower · net · lash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. net — for catching
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. suit — in cards
  9. shower — rain
  10. track — to keep track
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. track — a song
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bark — to shout
  19. net — in sport
  20. track — a path
  21. net — after costs
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. chair — a leader

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