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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: roll · charge · craft · key · march · rock · pit · shower

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pit — a hole
  4. charge — a price
  5. key — in music
  6. roll — a list
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. key — the most important part
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pit — in a race
  16. march — the month
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. key — for a lock
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. march — the month
  23. rock — a stone
  24. roll — on a roll

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