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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. last — finally
  6. band — a ring
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. band — a music group
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — the underground
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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