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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: pound · key · mark · wound · press · bass · nail · bay

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wound — an injury
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bass — low music
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bass — the fish
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mark — a grade
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wound — an injury
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pound — a weight
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — for a lock

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