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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: drill · rock · band · staff · foot · land · can · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. can — a tin
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. foot — a measure
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. rock — music
  10. land — ground
  11. rock — a stone
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. key — for a lock
  14. drill — the tool
  15. land — a country
  16. can — to be able to
  17. land — to come down
  18. can — a tin
  19. staff — a stick
  20. band — a music group
  21. staff — employees
  22. band — a ring
  23. key — the most important part
  24. staff — employees

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