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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: bay · drill · coach · deal · row · firm · toast · bank

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. firm — steady
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — to handle
  6. firm — decided
  7. toast — bread
  8. drill — army training
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bank — of a river
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bank — for money
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. row — a line
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. firm — a company
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bank — for money

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