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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 116 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: suit · row · march · fine · dip · wind · bore · pit

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pit — in a race
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. row — a line
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. march — the month
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fine — all right
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. row — to paddle

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