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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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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: bark · key · fall · present · fine · band · ruler · lash

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. band — a ring
  6. present — a gift
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. band — a music group
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — for a lock
  12. present — there
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fall — to drop
  15. present — the time now
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fine — all right
  20. fall — the season
  21. bark — to shout
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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