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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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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: drill · land · present · bank · fall · bear · track · pound

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. present — the time now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. track — a song
  12. drill — a practice
  13. present — there
  14. pound — a weight
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. present — a gift
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bank — for money
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. drill — army training

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