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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: ground · net · drill · object · track · scale · tube · sharp

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. tube — the underground
  7. track — a song
  8. net — in sport
  9. scale — size or range
  10. sharp — clever
  11. object — to protest
  12. tube — a container
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. ground — crushed
  19. scale — in music
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a path
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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