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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: drill · firm · hide · mark · last · suit · bass · race

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. suit — clothes
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mark — a trace
  6. drill — the tool
  7. last — final
  8. drill — army training
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. last — finally
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. firm — steady
  14. race — the arms race
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — low music
  19. firm — decided
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. firm — a company
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. suit — in cards

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