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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 · bass · deal · pass · plane · drill · saw · bound

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. drill — army training
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bound — certain
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stand — to bear
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bass — low music
  22. pass — a permit
  23. plane — in geometry
  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