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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · land · coach · bay · bear · cap · bass · nail

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. land — ground
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cap — of ice
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. land — a country
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bass — low music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. land — to come down
  23. bear — the animal
  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