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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: wind · plane · stand · dip · track · wave · drill · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. dip — to sink
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. drill — the tool
  7. track — a path
  8. plane — a tool
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. drill — army training
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wind — moving air

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