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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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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 · cabinet · fork · safe · pit · racket · band · tube

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. band — a ring
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. tube — a container
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pit — a hole
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — the underground
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. band — a music group

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