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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
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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: court · trunk · date · drill · staff · lie · suit · kid

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — in cards
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. court — for sport
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — clothes
  13. date — the fruit
  14. court — of law
  15. staff — employees
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. drill — army training
  18. staff — employees
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. kid — child
  21. staff — a stick
  22. drill — a practice
  23. kid — to tease
  24. court — of a king

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