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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hide · drill · wave · wake · land · prune · staff · bank

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. land — to come down
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. drill — the tool
  8. land — a country
  9. staff — employees
  10. land — ground
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wake — a trail
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — employees
  21. bank — for money
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. drill — army training
  24. prune — to trim

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