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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cell — a phone
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. root — the cause
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tube — the underground
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wax — to grow
  13. root — of a plant
  14. pound — a weight
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cell — in biology
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. root — of a word
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. coach — a trainer

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