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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · track · safe · rock · net · date · racket · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. date — the fruit
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rock — a stone
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tube — a container
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. net — for catching
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. track — a path
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. net — after costs
  19. rock — music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. net — in sport
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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