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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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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: rock · bay · present · stick · pass · band

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — a permit
  4. band — a ring
  5. present — the time now
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rock — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. present — a gift
  11. rock — a stone
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. present — there
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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