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

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cue — a signal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tube — the underground
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stand — to bear
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. cue — for pool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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