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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: band · file · bay · nail · racket · dip · firm · bass

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. firm — a company
  5. band — a ring
  6. file — a line of people
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. firm — decided
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. band — a music group
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bass — the fish
  16. file — a tool
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bass — low music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. firm — steady
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. file — a document
  24. nail — for a hammer

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