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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: march · band · pass · suit · content · kick · wake · tube

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — the amount
  4. band — a ring
  5. kick — in football
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tube — a container
  11. wake — a trail
  12. band — a music group
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. pass — a permit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. march — music
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. march — the month
  24. kick — a thrill

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