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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 116 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: drill · key · staff · net · stick · bay · face · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. net — for catching
  3. face — to confront
  4. key — for a lock
  5. net — after costs
  6. drill — army training
  7. face — to point toward
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. track — a path
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. staff — employees
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. key — in music
  18. face — part of the head
  19. staff — a stick
  20. track — a song
  21. net — in sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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