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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. drill — army training
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. plane — a tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. track — a path
  18. bound — certain
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — a song
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. track — to keep track

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