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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 116 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 · rule · file · drill · rush · fan · scale · dip

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. rush — hurry
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. suit — in cards
  11. file — a document
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. file — a tool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rule — government
  23. scale — in music
  24. rush — to hurry

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