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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: nail · wind · pop · lean · object · stand · bay · can

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lean — thin
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. object — to protest
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pop — soda
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. can — a tin
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — a thing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lean — to bend
  16. object — an aim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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