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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: foot · stick · hand · present · pass · racket · tube · row

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. tube — a container
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hand — help
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. foot — a measure
  8. present — a gift
  9. pass — a permit
  10. hand — in cards
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. present — there
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. present — the time now
  17. row — to paddle
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. row — a line
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pass — to succeed
  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