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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. march — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. drill — a practice
  6. shower — rain
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. file — a document
  9. drill — the tool
  10. march — the month
  11. shower — to wash
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. drill — army training
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. firm — decided
  18. stand — to bear
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. march — the month
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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