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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: present · racket · nail · foot · tube · march · pitch · track

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. present — there
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. present — the time now
  7. march — the month
  8. tube — a container
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. tube — the underground
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. present — a gift
  24. racket — for tennis

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