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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: swing · mark · rule · suit · arm · drill · chair · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mine — for digging
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. drill — army training
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rule — a law
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rule — government
  19. chair — a leader
  20. swing — music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mark — a trace
  23. swing — to play on
  24. chair — a professorship

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