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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: wake · date · bass · track · wave · nail · suit · game

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — in cards
  5. game — wild animals
  6. date — the fruit
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. track — to keep track
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. suit — clothes
  17. game — a match
  18. track — a path
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bass — the fish
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bass — low music

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