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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · tube · root · object · bowl · wound · band · firm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. object — a thing
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. root — the cause
  6. tube — the underground
  7. band — a ring
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. firm — decided
  10. root — of a word
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. firm — a company
  15. root — of a plant
  16. tube — a container
  17. firm — steady
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. object — an aim
  20. wound — an injury
  21. object — to protest
  22. wound — an injury
  23. band — a music group
  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