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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: wake · rush · stand · mark · content · drill · leaves · tube

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rush — hurry
  18. drill — army training
  19. content — the amount
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. drill — a practice
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mark — a trace

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