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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: nail · bat · fine · can · leaves · bass · band · firm

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — decided
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. firm — a company
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. firm — steady
  12. band — a music group
  13. bat — the animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. can — a tin
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bass — low music
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. leaves — to go away

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