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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.

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: rash · snap · mate · object · leaves · face · roll · tube

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. object — to protest
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. rash — a series
  8. mate — a partner
  9. roll — a list
  10. rash — hasty
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. face — to confront
  19. snap — to click
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mate — a friend
  24. roll — a cake

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