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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: stand · ball · file · season · pass · drill · chip · rock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. file — a tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. stand — to bear
  17. drill — a practice
  18. season — of the year
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. chip — for betting
  22. season — in sport
  23. ball — a great time
  24. file — a document

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