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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 · drill · present · saw · kid · season · fine · roll

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. present — the time now
  3. drill — army training
  4. kid — to tease
  5. roll — a list
  6. suit — in cards
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. season — of the year
  10. fine — high quality
  11. suit — to fit
  12. season — in sport
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. saw — the tool
  15. present — there
  16. suit — clothes
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fine — all right
  19. present — a gift
  20. kid — child
  21. roll — a cake
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — the tool
  24. season — to add flavour

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