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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
468
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: roll · key · stem · present · spring · spell · drill · cell

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. drill — a practice
  5. present — there
  6. cell — in biology
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. spell — a short time
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. present — the time now
  13. spell — magic
  14. roll — a list
  15. present — a gift
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. spell — letters
  18. cell — a phone
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. key — for a lock
  24. roll — a cake

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