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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: track · ruler · racket · wind · tube · perch · suit · degree

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. degree — temperature
  7. suit — in cards
  8. degree — an amount
  9. track — a song
  10. perch — the fish
  11. wind — moving air
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a path
  15. wind — moving air
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. track — to keep track
  20. degree — from a university
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tube — the underground

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