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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: tube · bear · face · race · suit · kick · roll · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. suit — clothes
  3. roll — a list
  4. tube — a container
  5. face — to confront
  6. race — the arms race
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. face — to point toward
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rush — hurry
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. race — humankind
  15. bear — the animal
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. roll — a cake
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. face — part of the head
  23. race — a contest
  24. bear — the animal

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