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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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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: foot · track · board · stick · chair · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. track — to keep track
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. track — a song
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. tube — the underground
  13. track — a path
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. foot — a measure
  16. board — to get on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship

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