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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: mark · band · tube · wake · bass · key · mug · season

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. band — a music group
  4. mark — a grade
  5. band — a ring
  6. tube — a container
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wake — a trail
  10. season — of the year
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mug — a face
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mug — to rob
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. season — in sport
  19. tube — the underground
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bass — low music
  23. key — in music
  24. bass — the instrument

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