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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: fine · stand · row · drill · wake · track · season · ground

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. ground — the earth
  3. drill — the tool
  4. stand — to bear
  5. season — in sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fine — high quality
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ground — crushed
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. drill — army training
  21. season — of the year
  22. ground — a position
  23. row — to paddle
  24. track — to keep track

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