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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: suit · roll · board · shower · firm · drill · scale · tube

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. shower — to wash
  4. suit — in cards
  5. firm — decided
  6. roll — a list
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. firm — a company
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — a practice
  12. roll — a cake
  13. tube — the underground
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. suit — to fit
  17. firm — steady
  18. drill — army training
  19. suit — clothes
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. drill — the tool
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. shower — rain
  24. scale — size or range

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