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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: pass · chest · wound · drill · firm · dip · fine · bay

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. dip — to sink
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. firm — decided
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pass — a permit
  10. firm — steady
  11. fine — high quality
  12. firm — a company
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. chest — a box
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. drill — army training
  21. chest — of your body
  22. drill — the tool
  23. fine — all right
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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