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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
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: lash · prune · rock · band · lie · safe · hide · hand

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. band — a ring
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — to recline
  12. hand — help
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lash — to lash out

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