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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
468
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 · toast · club · prune · temple · saw · drill · current

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. toast — bread
  3. drill — army training
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. current — of water
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. saw — the tool
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — in cards
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. drill — a practice
  17. club — for dancing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. club — a group
  20. prune — to trim
  21. drill — the tool
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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