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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
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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: lie · file · land · can · coach · tube · object · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. lie — to recline
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a document
  5. tube — the underground
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. object — a thing
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. tube — a container
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — a tin
  17. land — a country
  18. kick — in football
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. object — to protest
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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