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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.

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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 · row · mug · fan · stand · plane · track · bank

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. row — to paddle
  11. drill — a practice
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — a line
  15. track — a path
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. drill — army training
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bank — for money
  22. track — to keep track
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mug — a face

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