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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: bass · file · track · wind · wax · chair · cabinet · bay

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. file — a line of people
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bass — low music
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. track — a path
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. wax — to grow
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. file — a tool
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. track — a song
  22. chair — a leader
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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