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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 120 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: last · pop · patient · dip · key · kick · drill · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. drill — the tool
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. kick — in football
  5. suit — clothes
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. last — to go on
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — a practice
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pop — soda
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. last — final
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pop — music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. key — the most important part
  20. last — finally
  21. key — in music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. drill — army training
  24. patient — a sick person

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