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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · squash · bay · bore · band · file · drill · firm

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. drill — the tool
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. spell — magic
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bore — to tire
  9. file — a line of people
  10. band — a ring
  11. bore — to drill
  12. firm — steady
  13. spell — letters
  14. drill — army training
  15. firm — decided
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. firm — a company
  19. file — a document
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. file — a tool
  24. squash — to crush

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