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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.

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: drill · rule · lean · pitcher · squash · perch · pitch · suit

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — in cards
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rule — government
  6. drill — a practice
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. perch — the fish
  14. suit — to fit
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lean — thin
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lean — to bend
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rule — a law

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