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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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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: squash · stand · track · band · bulb · tube

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a music group
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. tube — a container
  8. squash — the sport
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. tube — the underground
  12. track — a path
  13. band — a ring
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. track — a song
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. track — to keep track

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