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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: tube · deal · bark · toast · ruler · current · hide · swing

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. current — electric
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. tube — the underground
  12. swing — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. deal — to handle
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. tube — a container
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. bark — to shout
  24. swing — to play on

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