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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: bay · nail · mark · tube · coach · swing · bass · fan

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. tube — a container
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. swing — music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bass — the fish
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bass — low music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. coach — a trainer

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