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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 116 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: bark · hide · lash · tube · ball · fine · ruler · fan

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ball — a great time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fine — all right
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bark — to shout

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