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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 · nail · tube · charge · bass · cue · chip · pass

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. band — a music group
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bass — the fish
  11. charge — a price
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — a permit
  14. band — a ring
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. charge — in control
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bass — low music
  21. tube — a container
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pass — to succeed

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