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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: nail · band · bulb · wind · craft · bay · pass · staff

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. wind — moving air
  5. craft — boats
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — for light
  9. band — a ring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wind — moving air
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. band — a music group
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. craft — a skill
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pass — a permit

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