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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: foot · mouse · rock · mark · roll · wave · tube · bat

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bat — the animal
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. roll — a cake
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. tube — a container
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. foot — a measure
  24. mouse — the animal

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