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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 120 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: rash · pound · mark · stick · drill · suit · fine · field

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fine — all right
  13. field — a subject
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rash — a series
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. field — for sport
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. field — farmland
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rash — hasty

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