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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: bear · cue · bowl · nail · band · file · march · stand

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. band — a ring
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. march — the month
  8. file — a line of people
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. file — a document
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. file — a tool
  16. band — a music group
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cue — a signal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cue — for pool
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bowl — a football final

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