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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: racket · sharp · rush · suit · drill · chest · fine · wound

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. drill — the tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. chest — of your body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. drill — a practice
  11. fine — all right
  12. wound — an injury
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. chest — a box
  15. drill — army training
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chest — of your body
  23. rush — hurry
  24. racket — a loud noise

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