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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: drill · tube · fine · swing · leaves · race · suit · plane

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. race — humankind
  5. suit — in cards
  6. swing — in golf
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fine — high quality
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. race — a contest
  14. swing — music
  15. tube — the underground
  16. swing — to play on
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — the tool
  21. plane — a tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. tube — a container
  24. plane — in geometry

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