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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: firm · ruler · bat · suit · drill · club

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — to fit
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. firm — a company
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — decided
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — the animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — steady
  16. suit — in cards
  17. club — for golf
  18. drill — the tool

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