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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: bore · tube · row · rock · racket · bass · track · wake

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. row — to paddle
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bass — low music
  6. bore — to drill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rock — music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. track — a song
  17. bore — to tire
  18. row — a line
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rock — a stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bass — the instrument

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