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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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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: bay · arm · nail · stick · file · band · present · pop

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. present — there
  3. pop — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. present — a gift
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. file — a document
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. present — the time now
  11. band — a ring
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. file — a tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. band — a music group
  16. pop — to visit
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pop — soda
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. nail — for a hammer

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