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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 120 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. foot — a measure
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tube — a container
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. tube — the underground
  19. suit — to fit
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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