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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: track · hide · firm · arm · tube · band · bulb · mug

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a cup
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — steady
  6. bulb — for light
  7. band — a music group
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. track — a song
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — a face
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. firm — decided
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. firm — a company
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. band — a ring
  23. track — a path
  24. tube — in a tire

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