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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 120 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: fine · bass · ball · nail · suit · ground · bay · shower

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bass — low music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ground — a position
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. shower — rain
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fine — all right
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bass — the instrument

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