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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.

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: plane · dip · staff · content · fan · race · stand · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. plane — a tool
  3. content — happy
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. staff — employees
  7. race — humankind
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. race — a contest
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. race — the arms race
  12. content — the amount
  13. staff — a stick
  14. band — a music group
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stand — to bear
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. band — a ring
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. staff — employees
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. fan — a supporter

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