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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: mine · bank · band · stock · tube · ball · plane · rule

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rule — government
  5. tube — a container
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. stock — shares
  11. rule — a law
  12. bank — of a river
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stock — goods
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. band — a ring
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mine — for digging
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. ball — a dance
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stock — a soup base

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