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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 124 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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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: pound · pass · fine · ruler · march · hand · saw · drill

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. march — the month
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. drill — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pound — a weight
  9. drill — a practice
  10. hand — in cards
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. hand — help
  15. march — music
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. drill — army training
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — high quality
  21. march — the month
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. fine — all right

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