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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 120 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
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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: bay · band · pass · branch · wound · plane · suit · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pass — a permit
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — in cards
  5. band — a music group
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. wound — an injury
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. tube — a container
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. band — a ring
  22. tube — the underground
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. branch — of a bank

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