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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: object · ball · lash · chair · tube · mate · rush · safe

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. tube — a container
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ball — a dance
  15. tube — the underground
  16. ball — a great time
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — an aim
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. lash — to lash out

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