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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: suit · drill · wake · stand · date · staff · mate · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. drill — the tool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mate — a partner
  6. staff — employees
  7. date — the fruit
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mate — to breed
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wake — a trail
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. drill — army training
  15. staff — a stick
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. suit — to fit
  21. staff — employees
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stand — to bear

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