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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: tube · rush · arm · face · kick · temple · ruler · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kick — in football
  3. rush — hurry
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. face — to confront
  8. pop — to visit
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. face — to point toward
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pop — soda
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — for measuring

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