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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: bark · land · hide · pitch · arm · straw · ruler · fan

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. land — to come down
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pitch — completely
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. hide — animal skin

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