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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: swing · branch · march · drill · pass · mug · chair · stand

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mug — a cup
  4. march — music
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. swing — in golf
  11. branch — a division
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. drill — army training
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chair — a leader
  17. swing — music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mug — to rob
  21. march — the month
  22. mug — a face
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. stand — for spectators

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