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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: band · firm · bulb · net · tube · hide · suit · stand

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. net — for catching
  3. bulb — for light
  4. firm — a company
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. firm — steady
  9. net — in sport
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — decided
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stand — to bear
  22. net — after costs
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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