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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.

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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: deal · stick · cell · suit · nail · kick · tube · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. date — the fruit
  4. kick — in football
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tube — the underground
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. deal — to handle
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cell — a phone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — a container
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. suit — to fit
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cell — in biology
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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