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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. march — music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — in control
  7. lean — to bend
  8. drill — a practice
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. march — the month
  18. lean — thin
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — electricity
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. plane — a tool
  24. march — the month

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