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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: charge · bay · drill · hide · pass · march · fork · pitch

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — a price
  4. march — music
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. drill — army training
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fork — in a road
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. march — the month
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. hide — to keep secret

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