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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: ground · mouse · bass · bowl · coach · land · suit · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. land — to come down
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ground — the earth
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ground — crushed
  12. suit — in cards
  13. land — a country
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. land — ground
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. tube — a container
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — low music
  24. ground — a position

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