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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 116 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.

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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: kid · tube · track · lash · suit · object · stem · kick

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. track — a path
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stem — to come from
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. tube — a container
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. kid — to tease
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tube — the underground
  17. kid — child
  18. track — to keep track
  19. suit — to fit
  20. object — to protest
  21. track — a song
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — in cards

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