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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: rush · tube · kick · wave · saw · rule · track · key

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. key — the most important part
  5. track — a path
  6. rule — a law
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rule — government
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. key — for a lock
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. track — a song
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. tube — a container
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. key — in music
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. kick — in football
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wave — of the sea

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