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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 120 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: tube · shower · pit · track · net · key · pound · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pit — a hole
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. tube — a container
  14. pound — a weight
  15. key — the most important part
  16. shower — to wash
  17. tube — the underground
  18. shower — rain
  19. foot — a measure
  20. track — a path
  21. key — in music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. key — for a lock

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