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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: squash · band · object · wave · bay · fan · nail · trunk

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. squash — to crush
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. object — a thing
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a ring
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. band — a music group
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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