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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · staff · present · file · stand · bowl

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. present — there
  3. drill — a practice
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. file — a tool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stand — to bear
  10. file — a document
  11. present — a gift
  12. staff — employees
  13. file — a line of people
  14. present — the time now
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. staff — employees
  17. drill — army training
  18. staff — a stick

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