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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 120 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: season · tube · kid · track · staff · firm · key · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. tube — a container
  4. season — in sport
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. kid — to tease
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. key — in music
  10. track — to keep track
  11. mark — a grade
  12. key — for a lock
  13. staff — employees
  14. track — a song
  15. season — of the year
  16. firm — decided
  17. key — the most important part
  18. track — a path
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. staff — employees
  22. kid — child
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. staff — a stick

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