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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: lie · fork · hide · pass · drill · tube · fine · lash

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. tube — a container
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. drill — army training
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — the underground
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fork — in a road
  23. tube — in a tire
  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