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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. drill — a practice
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a word
  5. staff — employees
  6. drill — army training
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. firm — steady
  9. root — of a plant
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. drill — the tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. ball — a great time
  16. staff — a stick
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. march — music
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pass — a permit
  23. march — the month
  24. staff — employees

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