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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 120 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: swing · can · suit · patient · mark · temple · prune · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. suit — clothes
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. prune — to trim
  8. can — to be able to
  9. prune — to trim
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mark — a grade
  12. suit — in cards
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. suit — to fit
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. can — a tin
  22. swing — in golf
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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