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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: drill · cabinet · hide · mark · stick · snap · hand · suit

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. snap — to click
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mark — a trace
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hand — in cards
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. drill — a practice
  19. hand — help
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. suit — in cards
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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