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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: wake · suit · game · bay · leaves · drill · march · fan

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. drill — the tool
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. march — the month
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. march — the month
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — a trail
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. march — music
  19. game — wild animals
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. drill — army training
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. game — a match
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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