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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mouse · rock · mark · face · land · kid · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tube — the underground
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. rock — music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — a song
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. land — to come down
  10. track — a path
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kid — child
  15. mark — a trace
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rock — a stone
  19. face — part of the head
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tube — a container
  24. kid — to tease

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