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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.

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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: rock · charge · net · tube · track · cap · kick · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. track — a path
  5. kick — in football
  6. charge — in control
  7. cap — a lid
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. net — after costs
  11. tube — the underground
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. track — a song
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cap — of ice
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. net — in sport
  20. tube — a container
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rock — a stone
  23. cap — a hat
  24. net — for catching

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