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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.

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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 · leaves · tube · squash · mark · bear · firm · rule

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. tube — the underground
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. firm — a company
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. bear — the animal
  18. squash — the sport
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. tube — a container
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. firm — steady
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. firm — decided

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