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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: lash · temple · racket · face · cue · ball · jam · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. tube — a container
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cue — a signal
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cue — a hint
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. cue — for pool
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. racket — for tennis

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