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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 · fine · pitch · land · key · bore · wind · drill

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. key — in music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. land — ground
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fine — high quality
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. suit — to fit
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wind — moving air
  20. drill — army training
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. key — the most important part
  24. land — to come down

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