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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: mate · fine · fall · tube · mark · rock · track · mine

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fine — all right
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. fine — high quality
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rock — music
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mate — a partner
  20. track — a path
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. track — a song
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fall — the season

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