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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: mark · fan · scale · date · suit · kick · drill · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spell — letters
  8. kick — in football
  9. scale — size or range
  10. spell — a short time
  11. drill — army training
  12. suit — to fit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. drill — the tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a grade
  17. scale — in music
  18. date — the fruit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. suit — clothes

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