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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
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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: rash · march · drill · cap · nail · pass · file · prune

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. file — a document
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cap — of ice
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. march — the month
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. file — a tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. file — a line of people
  22. cap — a hat
  23. march — music
  24. drill — army training

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