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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. capital — money
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. drill — a practice
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pass — a permit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. kick — in football
  14. capital — a city
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rule — government
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rule — a law
  24. bank — for money

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