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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. present — the time now
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — money
  8. march — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. march — the month
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a committee
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. drill — the tool
  16. march — the month
  17. drill — a practice
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. capital — a city
  20. present — a gift
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. board — to get on
  23. present — there
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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