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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · temple · present · march · lie · pitcher · deal · squash

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. march — the month
  4. present — the time now
  5. drill — army training
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. march — music
  8. squash — the sport
  9. present — there
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. march — the month
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lie — to recline
  21. present — a gift
  22. drill — a practice
  23. squash — to crush
  24. temple — a place of worship

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