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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · roll · firm · kick · bulb · temple · fan · chair

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. band — a music group
  3. roll — a list
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — in football
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. roll — a cake
  13. firm — steady
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. band — a ring
  22. chair — a leader
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. roll — on a roll

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