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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: mine · leaves · rule · squash · drill · bark · mouse · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rule — government
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. squash — to crush
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. rule — a law
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bark — to shout
  21. squash — the sport
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. rule — to rule out

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