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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 116 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 · swing · fan · bound · wake · drill · fall · object

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. object — a thing
  6. drill — a practice
  7. object — an aim
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bound — certain
  10. fall — to drop
  11. drill — army training
  12. swing — music
  13. bound — obliged
  14. drill — the tool
  15. object — to protest
  16. swing — in golf
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bound — tied together
  23. swing — to play on
  24. fan — a supporter

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