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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: safe · bass · board · cold · roll · hide · ruler · lash

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. cold — the Cold War
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. roll — a cake
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. board — to get on
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cold — not warm
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bass — low music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bass — the fish
  16. board — a committee
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cold — an illness
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. roll — a list
  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