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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: foot · tube · rush · ruler · band · content · mouse · wake

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — a container
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. band — a ring
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. content — happy
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. band — a music group
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. foot — a measure
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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