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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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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: cue · band · present · suit · stick · racket · tube · bank

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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. racket — a loud noise
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cue — a hint
  10. present — the time now
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. present — there
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. band — a ring
  17. present — a gift
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bank — of a river
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. band — a music group
  24. suit — clothes

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