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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.

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: foot · tube · pit · track · stem · craft · mug · pass

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. craft — boats
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. craft — a skill
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. track — a song
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mug — a face
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. tube — a container
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. track — a path
  24. foot — the bottom

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