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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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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. file — a document
  3. key — in music
  4. file — a tool
  5. march — music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pit — a hole
  9. drill — army training
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. file — a line of people
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pit — in a race
  19. drill — the tool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. march — the month

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