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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pop — soda
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pit — a hole
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. object — an aim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. object — to protest
  18. pit — in a race
  19. tube — a container
  20. pop — music
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tube — the underground
  24. wave — with your hand

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