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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: firm · mine · tube · track · safe · racket · pound · cabinet

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pound — a weight
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. firm — a company
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tube — a container
  17. track — a path
  18. tube — the underground
  19. firm — decided
  20. track — a song
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. firm — steady
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. safe — out of danger

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