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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. tube — a container
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cap — a lid
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — the underground
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. kick — in football
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. toast — bread
  24. wave — of the sea

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