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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: hide · suit · row · clip · stand · saw · temple · drill

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. clip — for paper
  9. saw — the tool
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. drill — the tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. clip — a video
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — to bear
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — the tool
  21. suit — clothes
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. clip — to cut

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