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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: key · bear · band · cabinet · staff · drill · mug · toast

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. staff — a stick
  5. key — in music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. band — a ring
  8. drill — army training
  9. staff — employees
  10. key — the most important part
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. bear — the animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — a cup
  16. toast — bread
  17. staff — employees
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cabinet — ministers

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