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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: suit · kick · racket · drill · rush · land · craft · mug

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. suit — in cards
  10. land — a country
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. land — ground
  13. craft — boats
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — hurry
  17. suit — clothes
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. kick — in football
  22. land — to come down
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mug — a face

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