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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: file · wake · nail · bass · cap · bay

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. file — a tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bass — low music
  8. cap — of ice
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a document
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cap — a hat

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