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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · ground · cue · sharp · rock · present · cap · bark

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. present — the time now
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. present — there
  10. ground — a position
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. cap — of ice
  15. present — a gift
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cap — a hat
  18. bark — to shout
  19. cap — a lid
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. cue — a signal

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