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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: tube · stand · band · wake · track · rock · mouse · suit

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. band — a music group
  5. wake — a trail
  6. band — a ring
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. track — a path
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. track — a song

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