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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. tube — the underground
  4. can — a tin
  5. object — an aim
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. object — a thing
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — to play on
  15. object — to protest
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — in football
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. tube — a container

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