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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 · shower · calf · spell · wake · face · jam · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. spell — magic
  5. wake — a trail
  6. shower — rain
  7. track — to keep track
  8. spell — a short time
  9. tube — a container
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. shower — to wash
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. spell — letters
  19. track — a path
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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