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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: tube · current · foot · spring · net · pitch · temple · drill

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. spring — the season
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. spring — of water
  7. drill — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. current — electric
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spring — a coil
  12. net — for catching
  13. net — in sport
  14. drill — army training
  15. foot — a measure
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. tube — a container
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. drill — a practice
  22. net — after costs
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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