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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bank — for money
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. track — a path
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. track — a song
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pit — a hole
  23. march — the month
  24. calf — of the leg

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