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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 · tear · pound · bay · net · stand · wake · firm

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stand — to bear
  3. net — for catching
  4. tear — from crying
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. drill — army training
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. firm — steady
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. net — after costs
  16. firm — a company
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. tear — from crying
  19. firm — decided
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tear — to rip
  24. wake — a trail

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