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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: bowl · track · cue · bay · lean · racket · tube · key

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. track — a song
  4. tube — the underground
  5. cue — a signal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. key — the most important part
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. lean — thin
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. key — in music
  19. track — a path
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bay — a horse colour

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