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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: rush · racket · bark · foot · trunk · lash · band · fall

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. band — a ring
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. band — a music group
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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