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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mug · drill · cell · rush · object · kick · tube · racket

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mug — to rob
  3. object — an aim
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. object — to protest
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mug — a face
  10. kick — in football
  11. drill — the tool
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. tube — a container
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. drill — army training
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — hurry
  19. object — a thing
  20. cell — a phone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cell — in biology
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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