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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: ruler · bass · safe · march · track · fork · object · tube

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. track — to keep track
  3. object — to protest
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. object — an aim
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tube — a container
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. track — a song
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. march — the month
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. object — a thing
  20. fork — in a road
  21. track — a path
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bass — low music
  24. safe — out of danger

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