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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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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: present · file · wax · bay · band · mark · suit · snap

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. wax — to grow
  4. present — a gift
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. mark — a trace
  9. present — there
  10. file — a line of people
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. suit — clothes
  16. file — a tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mark — a grade
  23. suit — to fit
  24. file — a document

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