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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: track · tube · calf · chip · rule · fork · net · root

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. root — of a word
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. root — the cause
  9. track — to keep track
  10. net — after costs
  11. track — a song
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rule — a law
  14. track — a path
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rule — government
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chip — for betting
  24. tube — the underground

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