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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: leaves · temple · bass · coach · pitch · wound · tube · snap

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. snap — to click
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bass — low music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pitch — completely
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tube — a container
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. temple — a place of worship

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