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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: sharp · cabinet · suit · drill · rule · race · dip · swing

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. dip — to sink
  3. swing — music
  4. drill — army training
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. race — a contest
  12. suit — clothes
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. race — humankind
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rule — a law
  18. swing — to play on
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rule — government
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. drill — a practice
  23. sharp — clever
  24. cabinet — ministers

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