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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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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: wind · drill · rule · racket · coach · suit

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — clothes
  3. drill — army training
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rule — government
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rule — a law
  18. coach — a trainer

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