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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: track · object · tube · content · suit · ball · bear · root

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. suit — to fit
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. object — to protest
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. object — a thing
  11. tube — a container
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — a song
  14. root — of a plant
  15. track — a path
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. root — the cause
  19. content — the amount
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bear — the animal
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — clothes
  24. root — of a word

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