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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. firm — a company
  3. bear — the animal
  4. march — the month
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bear — the animal
  7. press — to push
  8. roll — a list
  9. drill — a practice
  10. roll — a cake
  11. current — happening now
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. press — newspapers
  15. firm — steady
  16. march — music
  17. current — electric
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. march — the month
  23. drill — the tool
  24. current — of water

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