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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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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: ruler · drill · pound · suit · board · pit · press · snap

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. drill — a practice
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pit — a hole
  7. suit — in cards
  8. board — a committee
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pound — a weight
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pit — in a race
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. board — to get on
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. press — a publisher
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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