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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: object · fine · bark · lash · tube · shower · calf · deal

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bark — to shout
  7. tube — a container
  8. shower — to wash
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. object — to protest
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. object — an aim
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. object — a thing
  19. tube — the underground
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fine — high quality
  24. shower — rain

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