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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 120 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: kick · mug · staff · drill · swing · leaves · fan · game

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. drill — army training
  5. game — wild animals
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. staff — employees
  11. game — a match
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. staff — employees
  16. mug — a face
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. kick — in football
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. drill — the tool
  23. staff — a stick
  24. kick — a thrill

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