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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. drill — army training
  3. march — music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. rest — what's left
  9. firm — a company
  10. drill — the tool
  11. key — in music
  12. firm — steady
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. stock — goods
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — the most important part
  20. firm — decided
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stock — shares
  23. prune — to trim
  24. key — for a lock

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