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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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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: club · bear · band · fan · mate · tube · trunk · suit

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tube — the underground
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mate — to breed
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. club — for golf
  13. tube — a container
  14. mate — a friend
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mate — a partner
  21. band — a ring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fan — to cool the air

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