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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 120 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 · bark · bay · content · track · drill · mug · band

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bark — to shout
  5. band — a music group
  6. tube — a container
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. track — a path
  11. mug — a cup
  12. band — a ring
  13. mug — a face
  14. drill — a practice
  15. content — the amount
  16. drill — army training
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mug — to rob
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. track — a song
  23. content — happy
  24. track — to keep track

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