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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 120 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: lie · rush · cap · kick · wake · suit · mate · tube

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. tube — a container
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mate — to breed
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mate — a partner
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cap — of ice
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — a friend
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. suit — to fit

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