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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
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: march · club · wound · drill · cabinet · press · wax · ruler

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. club — a group
  5. march — the month
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — to push
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. march — music
  13. club — for golf
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. press — a publisher
  23. club — for dancing
  24. wax — to grow

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