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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.

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 · racket · fan · stand · bank · plane · spell · cell

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cell — in biology
  8. spell — letters
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cell — a phone
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. spell — a short time
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. spell — magic
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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