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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: stem · fan · tube · suit · swing · cue · band · root

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. tube — a container
  3. swing — music
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — to come from
  7. band — a music group
  8. swing — to play on
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. root — of a word
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — for pool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cue — a signal

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