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

Word bank: rule · coach · tube · safe · kick · pound · dip · pass

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. tube — the underground
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. tube — a container
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. kick — in football
  8. rule — a law
  9. pound — a weight
  10. dip — to sink
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pass — a permit
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rule — government
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pass — to spend time

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