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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: band · suit · club · track · cue · rush · tube · dip

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cue — a hint
  4. suit — in cards
  5. tube — a container
  6. rush — hurry
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. club — for dancing
  10. track — a path
  11. club — a group
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. cue — a signal
  14. band — a music group
  15. suit — to fit
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. club — for golf
  18. track — to keep track
  19. tube — the underground
  20. dip — to sink
  21. cue — for pool
  22. track — a song
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. band — a ring

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