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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. drill — army training
  5. mark — a trace
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. press — a publisher
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. shower — rain
  12. charge — a price
  13. mark — a grade
  14. press — newspapers
  15. bark — to shout
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. firm — decided
  18. shower — to wash
  19. press — to push
  20. march — music
  21. march — the month
  22. charge — in control
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. march — the month

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