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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 · drill · mark · racket · toast · sharp · mine

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. sharp — clever
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mark — a grade
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. suit — clothes
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — in cards
  14. toast — bread
  15. drill — the tool
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. suit — to fit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mine — for digging

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