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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: lie · tube · kick · rest · chip · pass · cabinet · suit

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rest — what's left
  14. suit — in cards
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rest — a break
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chip — for betting
  23. tube — a container
  24. suit — clothes

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