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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. row — to paddle
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. suit — clothes
  14. swing — music
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. row — a line
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. swing — in golf
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. swing — to play 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