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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: bore · bass · file · band · tube · fan · suit · object

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. file — a line of people
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. object — a thing
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. object — an aim
  10. file — a tool
  11. band — a ring
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. file — a document
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a music group
  18. object — to protest
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — a container

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