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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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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: object · net · temple · lash · tube · bore · kick · cap

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. cap — a lid
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bore — to drill
  6. object — a thing
  7. cap — of ice
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — to protest
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. net — after costs
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. kick — in football
  20. object — an aim
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bore — to tire
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cap — a hat

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