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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. march — the month
  9. roll — a list
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. drill — army training
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mark — a grade
  14. march — music
  15. can — a tin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. drill — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. can — a tin
  24. roll — a cake

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