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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: suit · pit · can · scale · drill · fan · bay · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. can — to be able to
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — clothes
  6. drill — army training
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. scale — size or range
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — a practice
  13. land — to come down
  14. drill — the tool
  15. land — ground
  16. pit — a hole
  17. scale — in music
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pit — in a race
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. scale — for weighing

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