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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: field · drill · chair · suit · trunk · object · fine · date

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. drill — army training
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. object — an aim
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. field — for sport
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — a thing
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. drill — the tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fine — all right
  15. date — the fruit
  16. chair — a leader
  17. object — to protest
  18. drill — a practice
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. fine — high quality
  24. date — on the calendar

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