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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: temple · tube · toast · pitcher · mug · jam · kick · straw

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mug — a face
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mug — to rob
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mug — a cup
  8. toast — bread
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. kick — in football
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. tube — a container
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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