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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: pop · suit · bear · drill · plane · pit · coach · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. pit — a hole
  3. drill — a practice
  4. suit — clothes
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pit — in a race
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. drill — army training
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bat — the animal
  21. pop — music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. plane — a tool
  24. coach — a trainer

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