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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.

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: suit · rash · drill · tube · patient · bowl · lie · snap

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. tube — the underground
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. snap — to click
  9. tube — a container
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. suit — clothes
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. drill — a practice
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. suit — in cards

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