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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
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: squash · lash · bark · object · hand · deal · wound · firm

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. firm — decided
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. object — a thing
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. wound — an injury
  11. object — to protest
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. hand — help
  14. wound — an injury
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. object — an aim
  21. deal — to handle
  22. hand — in cards
  23. squash — the sport
  24. deal — an agreement

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