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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: wave · bark · rest · wound · band · roll · charge · tube

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — in control
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wound — an injury
  6. band — a ring
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wound — an injury
  9. band — a music group
  10. roll — a cake
  11. charge — a price
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rest — a break
  17. tube — the underground
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. charge — electricity
  21. roll — a list
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. tube — a container
  24. wave — of the sea

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