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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: club · suit · rock · bay · band · kid · bass · hand

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. rock — music
  8. hand — help
  9. bass — low music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. band — a ring
  12. club — for golf
  13. band — a music group
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. club — a group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. bass — the fish
  22. kid — to tease
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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