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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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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 · rule · swing · pit · prune · drill · bank · chair

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rule — government
  8. bank — of a river
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rule — a law
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pit — in a race
  14. drill — a practice
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — army training
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — to fit
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. swing — music

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