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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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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: bound · track · shower · tube · bay · mark · face · coach

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. track — a path
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — the underground
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bound — tied together
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. face — to point toward
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bound — obliged
  13. track — to keep track
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. face — to confront
  16. track — a song
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bound — certain
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — a trace
  22. face — part of the head
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. coach — a trainer

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