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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 120 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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. court — for sport
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rock — music
  7. file — a document
  8. bore — to drill
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — to tire
  12. court — of law
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. file — a tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. file — a line of people
  17. march — the month
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. court — of a king
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — a stone
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. charge — electricity

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