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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: mug · track · bear · wave · tube · shower · key · coach

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. key — the most important part
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tube — the underground
  17. track — a song
  18. shower — rain
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. track — a path
  22. tube — a container
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. key — for a lock

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