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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: stand · wake · drill · band · pitcher · mate · arm · squash

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mate — a partner
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. drill — army training
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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