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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 116 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: wind · tube · bark · bear · plane · board · rash · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. tube — the underground
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wind — moving air
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. board — a committee
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tube — a container
  16. board — to get on
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bark — to shout
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — a series
  24. wind — to turn a key

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