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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. march — the month
  4. charge — in control
  5. drill — army training
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. band — a music group
  9. wake — a trail
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. drill — the tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. present — there
  20. band — a ring
  21. present — a gift
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. drill — a practice
  24. charge — a price

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