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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: hand · tube · suit · band · ball · mark · bound · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ball — a great time
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bound — certain
  7. tube — a container
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. hand — help
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a trace
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. band — a ring
  18. ball — a dance
  19. hand — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bound — obliged
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — tied together

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