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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: season · tube · snap · kick · track · foot · object · rock

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. rock — a stone
  4. kick — in football
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. foot — a measure
  8. season — in sport
  9. tube — a container
  10. rock — music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. object — to protest
  13. season — of the year
  14. track — a path
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. track — a song
  19. snap — to click
  20. track — to keep track
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. kick — a thrill

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