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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 120 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: object · mug · game · tube · arm · kick · deal · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mug — to rob
  3. game — a match
  4. tube — a container
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. kick — in football
  7. object — a thing
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. object — to protest
  12. mug — a cup
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mug — a face
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. game — wild animals
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. deal — to handle
  23. object — an aim
  24. deal — an agreement

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