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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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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: deal · cue · drill · foot · stem · fall · object · bowl

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. drill — the tool
  4. foot — a measure
  5. fall — the season
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fall — to drop
  13. object — to protest
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. object — a thing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. drill — army training
  20. object — an aim
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stem — to come from

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