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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 · mouse · rule · court · leaves · suit · roll · pound

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. court — of law
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. rule — government
  8. roll — a cake
  9. court — for sport
  10. pound — a weight
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. roll — a list
  14. suit — to fit
  15. court — of a king
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — a law
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. roll — on a roll

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