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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · firm · straw · object · band · drill · lash · plane

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. track — a path
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. object — to protest
  11. track — to keep track
  12. firm — decided
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. firm — steady
  16. drill — a practice
  17. firm — a company
  18. band — a ring
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. track — a song
  24. plane — an aircraft

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