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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: pit · dip · mug · mine · suit · chest · drill · leaves

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — to sink
  6. drill — army training
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — clothes
  13. drill — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pit — in a race
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mine — for digging

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