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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: hide · object · stem · wake · track · mouse · tube · kick

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. object — to protest
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. stem — to come from
  5. object — an aim
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wake — a trail
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. object — a thing
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. kick — in football
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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