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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: stand · plane · nail · bass · bay · roll · game · track

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bass — low music
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. track — to keep track
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. track — a path
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stand — to bear
  17. plane — a tool
  18. track — a song
  19. roll — a list
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. game — a match

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