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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · suit · perch · tube · mate · bass · temple · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mate — to breed
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — to keep track
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mate — a partner
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. track — a path
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mate — a friend
  19. suit — to fit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bass — low music
  22. track — a song
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. tube — a container

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