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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. drill — army training
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bank — for money
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bank — for money
  8. drill — the tool
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. march — the month
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stand — to bear
  18. march — music
  19. suit — in cards
  20. march — the month
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pit — a hole

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