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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: stem · key · bulb · drill · wound · stand · pit · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — the tool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stem — to come from
  8. drill — army training
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wound — an injury
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. stand — to bear
  19. season — in sport
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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