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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: rush · hide · kick · tube · charge · jam · lean · racket

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tube — the underground
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. lean — thin
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lean — to bend
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. kick — in football
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rush — hurry
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. tube — a container
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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