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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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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: wave · plane · stand · bay · drill · arm · club · mug

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. drill — a practice
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. drill — army training
  8. club — for golf
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mug — to rob
  11. club — a group
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stand — to bear
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mug — a face
  24. drill — the tool

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