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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: ball · tube · racket · kick · mate · lean · mug · chip

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. tube — the underground
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — a container
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mug — a cup
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — a face
  17. mate — a partner
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mate — to breed
  20. kick — in football
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mug — to rob
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — a loud noise

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