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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.

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: cell · plane · clip · mark · track · bass · tube · racket

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. plane — a tool
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bass — low music
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. tube — a container
  13. clip — for paper
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. track — a path
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bass — the fish
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — a song
  23. clip — a video
  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