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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: wave · firm · wound · tube · row · drill · band · patient

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. drill — a practice
  3. row — to paddle
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. drill — army training
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. firm — steady
  9. tube — a container
  10. firm — a company
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. drill — the tool
  13. wound — an injury
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. firm — decided
  18. band — a ring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. tube — the underground
  21. band — a music group
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. row — a line

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