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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
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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: mouse · pit · date · suit · track · shower · bay · band

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. suit — to fit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. suit — in cards
  6. date — the fruit
  7. shower — to wash
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — a path
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. shower — rain
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. suit — clothes
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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