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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: nail · spring · date · safe · wind · net · jam · tube

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — a container
  3. net — in sport
  4. spring — of water
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wind — moving air
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. net — after costs
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. date — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spring — the season
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. net — for catching
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wind — moving air

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