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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: pop · tube · pit · stick · band · nail · saw · bay

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a ring
  7. pop — to visit
  8. tube — a container
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. band — a music group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pop — music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pop — soda
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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