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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
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: tube · bulb · bear · fan · band · pass · club · hide

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. tube — the underground
  12. band — a music group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. band — a ring
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bear — the animal
  19. club — a group
  20. tube — a container
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. club — for golf

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