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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: roll · track · bay · suit · tube · ground · foot · mate

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. suit — in cards
  9. roll — a list
  10. mate — to breed
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. track — a song
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. tube — a container
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. track — a path
  23. tube — the underground
  24. mate — a friend

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