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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: club · jam · patient · tube · mouse · track · object · hide

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. club — for golf
  6. tube — a container
  7. club — for dancing
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. object — an aim
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. club — a group
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. object — a thing
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. object — to protest
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — a path
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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