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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: mate · racket · object · season · squash · straw · tube · kick

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mate — to breed
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mate — a friend
  5. object — an aim
  6. tube — the underground
  7. squash — the sport
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mate — a partner
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — a thing
  22. tube — a container
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — in football

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