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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: kick · rule · spell · lie · mate · tube · foot · rash

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. tube — a container
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rash — hasty
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mate — to breed
  8. kick — in football
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mate — a partner
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. spell — magic
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mate — a friend
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rash — a series
  22. lie — to recline
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spell — letters

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