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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: mug · tube · spell · coach · band · deal · shower · mark

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. spell — letters
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — a face
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. shower — rain
  11. mark — a trace
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. mug — a cup
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mark — a grade
  19. spell — a short time
  20. band — a ring
  21. tube — a container
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. spell — magic
  24. shower — to wash

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