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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. face — part of the head
  9. kick — in football
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — to point toward
  12. face — to confront
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. dip — to sink
  15. firm — decided
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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