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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: wake · scale · rock · drill · last · stand · wind · swing

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. drill — army training
  5. wind — moving air
  6. swing — music
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — a stone
  12. scale — in music
  13. drill — a practice
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rock — music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. swing — to play on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. swing — in golf
  24. stand — for spectators

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