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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.

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: branch · jam · mark · bound · bass · march · squash · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — a trace
  5. branch — a division
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bound — certain
  10. march — the month
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. march — music
  14. bound — tied together
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. march — the month
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bass — low music
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bass — the fish

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