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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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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 · club · wake · track · wave · net · pound · bay

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pound — a weight
  3. track — a path
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. net — after costs
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. drill — army training
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. net — in sport
  13. track — a song
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — a practice
  16. club — for golf
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. net — for catching
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. club — a group

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