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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. drill — army training
  3. craft — boats
  4. drill — the tool
  5. row — a line
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — to paddle
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. last — finally
  17. march — music
  18. pass — a permit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. march — the month
  21. last — to go on
  22. last — final
  23. press — to push
  24. craft — a handicraft

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