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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bound — obliged
  5. field — a subject
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — certain
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. board — to get on
  14. toast — bread
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. field — for sport
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. field — farmland
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — a division
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. ruler — for measuring

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