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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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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 · toast · field · plane · deal · pop · bay · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. drill — army training
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. drill — the tool
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bound — obliged
  16. field — for sport
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. field — a subject
  21. toast — bread
  22. deal — to handle
  23. field — farmland
  24. pop — soda

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