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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: wave · tube · fan · staff · last · fork · temple · bass

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. last — to go on
  3. staff — employees
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — in a road
  8. staff — employees
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. last — finally
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — the fish
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — a stick
  18. last — final
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. bass — low music

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