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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: nail · suit · drill · toast · degree · row · season · rush

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. suit — clothes
  7. drill — the tool
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. row — to paddle
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. degree — from a university
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — in sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. row — a line
  20. suit — to fit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. season — of the year
  24. toast — bread

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