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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.

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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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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: drill · suit · field · stand · firm · wax · band · dip

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wax — to grow
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. field — farmland
  6. band — a music group
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. band — a ring
  9. drill — army training
  10. suit — clothes
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. field — for sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. firm — decided
  17. suit — in cards
  18. field — a subject
  19. stand — to bear
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. firm — steady
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. suit — to fit
  24. dip — to sink

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