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

Word bank: racket · march · leaves · drill · club · vault · bay · squash

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. squash — to crush
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. drill — a practice
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. march — music
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. club — for dancing
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. squash — the sport
  22. club — for golf
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — a group

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