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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pop — soda
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pop — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. track — a song
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pop — to visit
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. tube — the underground
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. hide — to keep secret

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