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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: cap · bear · ball · board · band · wax · file · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. band — a music group
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bear — the animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. file — a tool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. file — a document
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. file — a line of people
  21. band — a ring
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cap — a lid

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