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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: fork · foot · tube · racket · mouse · temple · current · plane

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. foot — a measure
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. fork — in a road
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. current — happening now
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. current — of water
  23. tube — a container
  24. current — electric

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