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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: ball · lash · bank · mouse · bark · straw · leaves · pit

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bank — for money
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pit — in a race
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bank — of a river

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