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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · tube · club · game · bay · mug · mark · rock

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mug — a cup
  4. spell — letters
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. tube — a container
  9. mark — a grade
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. mug — to rob
  13. game — a match
  14. club — for golf
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rock — music
  20. spell — magic
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. mug — a face
  24. bay — a horse colour

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