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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: swing · drill · plane · rush · suit · bowl · chip · snap

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. rush — hurry
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. swing — to play on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. drill — the tool
  22. snap — to click
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. chip — to eat

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