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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: mate · march · drill · chest · stem · pit · suit · hide

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. drill — a practice
  4. suit — in cards
  5. march — music
  6. chest — a box
  7. suit — to fit
  8. march — the month
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stem — to come from
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mate — to breed
  14. march — the month
  15. suit — clothes
  16. chest — of your body
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. drill — army training
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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