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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: drill · suit · dip · bear · mug · wind · march · ruler

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bear — the animal
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mug — to rob
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — to sink
  13. drill — the tool
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. march — the month
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mug — a cup

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