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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 · firm · chip · bulb · staff · track · key · calf

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. drill — a practice
  4. track — to keep track
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — for a lock
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. firm — steady
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — a company
  14. bulb — for light
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. key — in music
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. staff — a stick
  23. key — the most important part
  24. calf — a young animal

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