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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. club — a group
  4. march — music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — steady
  10. march — the month
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bass — the fish
  13. staff — employees
  14. rush — hurry
  15. drill — a practice
  16. staff — employees
  17. march — the month
  18. game — wild animals
  19. firm — decided
  20. bass — low music
  21. club — for golf
  22. drill — army training
  23. firm — a company
  24. rush — to hurry

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