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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.

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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: drill · wave · hand · suit · track · mark · firm · dip

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. suit — in cards
  3. drill — a practice
  4. firm — decided
  5. suit — clothes
  6. track — a song
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. suit — to fit
  11. hand — help
  12. mark — a grade
  13. track — to keep track
  14. drill — the tool
  15. hand — in cards
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. drill — army training

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