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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · tube · lash · tear · season · pound · mug · leaves

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tube — a container
  11. tear — to rip
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. season — of the year
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pound — a weight
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. tear — from crying

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