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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.

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: drill · face · can · suit · club · rush · tear · snap

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. drill — army training
  5. rush — hurry
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — a practice
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. face — part of the head
  12. tear — from crying
  13. suit — in cards
  14. club — a group
  15. face — to point toward
  16. tear — from crying
  17. snap — to click
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. tear — to rip
  21. face — to confront
  22. club — for dancing
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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