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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. march — the month
  4. mark — a trace
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. march — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitch — completely
  11. drill — army training
  12. plane — a tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. march — the month
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mark — a grade
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fork — in a road

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