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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: mate · tube · key · track · march · firm · nail · cap

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. track — to keep track
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. march — music
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — steady
  11. cap — a lid
  12. firm — decided
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. track — a song
  15. cap — a hat
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mate — a friend
  20. track — a path
  21. march — the month
  22. mate — a partner
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — to breed

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