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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: field · wave · plane · drill · bay · pass · bank · bear

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. plane — a tool
  3. field — for sport
  4. bank — for money
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. drill — army training
  15. field — farmland
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bear — to put up with

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