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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 116 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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — hurry
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rule — a law
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — a face
  16. kick — in football
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rule — government
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pitcher — a jug

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