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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: fan · rush · suit · wave · swing · arm · rule · drill

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. swing — in golf
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — army training
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. suit — in cards
  21. rule — government
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. drill — the tool

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