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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: object · straw · prune · bay · file · bass · rock · pound

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. file — a tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. file — a line of people
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — the fish
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rock — music
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rock — to move gently

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