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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. drill — army training
  4. wind — moving air
  5. club — a group
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. club — for golf
  8. drill — a practice
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. march — the month
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. club — for dancing
  14. march — music
  15. fine — all right
  16. march — the month
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wind — moving air
  22. drill — the tool
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fine — high quality

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