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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: rush · drill · stick · ball · pit · suit · current · club

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. club — for golf
  6. current — electric
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — hurry
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ball — a dance
  12. suit — clothes
  13. current — of water
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. current — happening now
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. club — a group
  20. drill — army training
  21. pit — in a race
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. suit — in cards

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