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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: branch · hand · pound · toast · fine · lie · march · drill

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. drill — army training
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. drill — a practice
  10. lie — to recline
  11. march — the month
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. drill — the tool
  14. fine — all right
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. hand — help
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. branch — a division
  20. hand — in cards
  21. toast — bread
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lie — an untruth

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