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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
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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: suit · hide · bark · pitcher · key · fine · cap · tube

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. tube — a container
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bark — to shout
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bark — of a tree

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