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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.

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: rule · nail · suit · spring · drill · lean · mouse · game

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. game — wild animals
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. spring — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lean — to bend
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — of water
  13. rule — government
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. lean — thin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rule — a law
  19. game — a match
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. game — a kind of play

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