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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 120 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: tube · can · drill · bass · temple · ground · wake · coach

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. can — to be able to
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ground — the earth
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. drill — army training
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bass — the fish
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bass — low music
  15. ground — crushed
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. drill — the tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. can — a tin
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. tube — a container
  24. can — a tin

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