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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. key — the most important part
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bank — of a river
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ball — a dance
  18. key — in music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. cap — a lid
  22. swing — in golf
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. key — for a lock

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