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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: band · current · track · tube · root · pit · club · drill

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. current — of water
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. current — happening now
  5. tube — a container
  6. root — the cause
  7. club — a group
  8. track — to keep track
  9. club — for dancing
  10. root — of a word
  11. tube — the underground
  12. root — of a plant
  13. current — electric
  14. club — for golf
  15. pit — a hole
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. band — a ring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. drill — a practice
  24. track — a path

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