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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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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: deal · band · rash · bass · roll · fan · suit · cue

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. deal — to handle
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. roll — a cake
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bass — the fish
  9. roll — a list
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rash — hasty
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bass — low music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. band — a ring
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a signal
  18. suit — in cards
  19. band — a music group
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rash — a series
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. fan — a supporter

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