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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: vault · rush · prune · charge · fine · drill · march · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fine — all right
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. march — the month
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — a practice
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. drill — army training
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fine — high quality
  12. march — the month
  13. prune — to trim
  14. vault — a safe
  15. suit — clothes
  16. march — music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. charge — in control
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. charge — a price
  22. rush — hurry
  23. charge — electricity
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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