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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: band · tube · ball · fine · object · temple · wave · track

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ball — a dance
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. fine — all right
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. object — to protest
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. tube — a container
  16. object — a thing
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. object — an aim
  22. band — a ring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. band — a music group

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