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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: face · ball · cue · track · tube · squash · bank · rush

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cue — a hint
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. face — to point toward
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bank — of a river
  11. tube — the underground
  12. track — a path
  13. tube — a container
  14. ball — a great time
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bank — for money
  21. face — to confront
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. track — a song
  24. cue — for pool

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