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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: suit · drill · coach · game · bank · squash · row · mark

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. row — to paddle
  5. squash — to crush
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bank — for money
  11. drill — army training
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. game — a match
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bank — for money
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. drill — a practice
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bank — of a river
  23. squash — the sport
  24. drill — the tool

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