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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · stand · pass · rule · squash · spell · march · drill

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. drill — army training
  5. spell — magic
  6. squash — the sport
  7. spell — a short time
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. march — music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. spell — letters
  20. march — the month
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. drill — the tool
  24. board — to get on

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