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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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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: ruler · pit · deal · drill · wave · fall · mark · club

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. club — for golf
  8. pit — a hole
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. drill — the tool
  12. club — a group
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fall — to drop
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pit — in a race
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. drill — a practice
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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