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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 120 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: fan · band · content · bank · snap · pass · ball · game

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. content — the amount
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. content — happy
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. band — a ring
  16. snap — to click
  17. game — a match
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. band — a music group
  22. game — wild animals
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. content — videos and posts

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