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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: board · coach · band · cue · tube · lash · hide · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. band — a music group
  3. board — to get on
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. band — a ring
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. board — a committee
  16. cue — for pool
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hide — to keep secret

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