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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
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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: bass · rock · date · can · leaves · nail · stick · present

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bass — low music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — to be able to
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. date — on the calendar

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