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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 116 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: bound · fine · patient · tube · bank · fan · pitcher · band

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a ring
  18. tube — a container
  19. fine — all right
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. patient — a sick person

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