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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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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bound — tied together
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — a container
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wake — a trail
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bound — certain
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ball — a dance
  24. spell — letters

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