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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: club · ball · object · lash · last · cap · tube · bound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. tube — a container
  3. object — a thing
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — an aim
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cap — of ice
  8. last — to go on
  9. club — a group
  10. tube — the underground
  11. club — for golf
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bound — tied together
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. last — final
  22. ball — a dance
  23. last — finally
  24. object — to protest

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