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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
468
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: fine · net · wax · track · drill · plane · bank · pass

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. drill — a practice
  5. track — to keep track
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. drill — army training
  11. bank — of a river
  12. track — a song
  13. bank — for money
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. track — a path
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bank — for money
  19. net — for catching
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fine — all right
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wax — in the ear

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