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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 · spell · bulb · mark · drill · key · stick · file

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. key — the most important part
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bulb — for light
  6. roll — a list
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. roll — a cake
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spell — magic
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. file — a tool
  16. spell — a short time
  17. file — a document
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. drill — army training
  20. key — in music
  21. spell — letters
  22. file — a line of people
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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