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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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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 · band · rest · nail · bowl · hide · toast · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. band — a ring
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. rest — a break
  13. toast — bread
  14. band — a music group
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. hide — animal skin

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