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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: bank · fine · drill · rash · suit · sharp · degree · dip

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. degree — temperature
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fine — all right
  6. bank — for money
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rash — hasty
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — clothes
  15. sharp — clever
  16. drill — a practice
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. degree — an amount
  20. rash — a series
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. suit — in cards
  23. dip — to sink
  24. degree — from a university

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