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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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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: rule · kick · drill · march · foot · ball · firm · toast

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. drill — army training
  3. march — music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. march — the month
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rule — a law
  10. drill — the tool
  11. rule — government
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a dance
  14. march — the month
  15. toast — bread
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. kick — in football
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. foot — part of the body

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