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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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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: bear · kid · band · rule · bass · stand · root · can

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a ring
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. kid — child
  6. bass — low music
  7. rule — government
  8. can — to be able to
  9. root — the cause
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bass — the fish
  16. band — a music group
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bear — the animal
  19. root — of a plant
  20. rule — a law
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. can — a tin
  24. kid — to tease

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