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

Word bank: roll · stem · bank · face · kid · drill · swing · key

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. drill — army training
  5. swing — music
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. face — to confront
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stem — to come from
  12. drill — the tool
  13. kid — to tease
  14. key — the most important part
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bank — for money
  17. kid — child
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bank — of a river
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — a cake
  23. key — in music
  24. roll — a list

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