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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. tube — the underground
  4. track — to keep track
  5. tube — a container
  6. pop — to visit
  7. net — in sport
  8. pop — soda
  9. track — a song
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — a committee
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pop — music
  15. track — a path
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — for catching
  24. board — to get on

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