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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 116 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: plane · rock · drill · track · mug · bound · bass · hide

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rock — music
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bass — low music
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. track — a path
  18. drill — the tool
  19. track — a song
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — certain
  24. drill — army training

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