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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 · track · lie · tube · arm · firm

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — steady
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. kick — in football
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. track — a song
  15. firm — a company
  16. rush — hurry
  17. track — to keep track
  18. firm — decided
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tube — a container
  23. track — a path
  24. lie — to recline

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