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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: kick · band · tube · net · dip · track · pitcher · safe

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. track — to keep track
  5. net — for catching
  6. dip — to sink
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. net — in sport
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. band — a music group
  16. tube — a container
  17. track — a path
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. band — a ring
  22. track — a song
  23. net — after costs
  24. safe — a strongbox

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