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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 · hide · roll · shower · mark · key · prune · tube

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mark — a trace
  4. shower — rain
  5. roll — a cake
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — in music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. shower — to wash
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. prune — to trim
  12. tube — a container
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. key — for a lock
  15. tube — the underground
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. roll — a list
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lash — an eyelash

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