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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: tube · toast · suit · track · bay · march · wave · bark

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. track — a path
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. tube — a container
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bark — to shout
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. track — a song
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. march — music
  24. suit — to fit

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