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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. kick — in football
  3. object — a thing
  4. capital — money
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. object — an aim
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. tube — a container
  10. craft — boats
  11. tube — the underground
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. object — to protest
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. craft — a skill
  16. capital — a city
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. kick — with a leg

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