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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 · rush · pit · current · mark · last · bulb

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. last — finally
  6. pit — in a race
  7. last — to go on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. current — of water
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tube — a container
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. track — a song
  20. current — electric
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. last — final
  24. rush — hurry

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