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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.

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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. band — a ring
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. hand — help
  7. tube — the underground
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rock — music
  14. band — a music group
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. board — a committee

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