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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: pop · mouse · rule · track · tube · game · mark · roll

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — government
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pop — to visit
  9. track — to keep track
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. track — a path
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. tube — a container
  19. track — a song
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pop — soda
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rule — a law
  24. roll — a list

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