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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: tube · suit · rush · club · drill · net · mark · nail

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. suit — clothes
  3. club — for golf
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. club — for dancing
  7. net — for catching
  8. club — a group
  9. net — in sport
  10. tube — a container
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. drill — army training
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. net — after costs
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — hurry

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