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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: land · bowl · pass · key · drill · bulb · stem · branch

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. key — for a lock
  3. drill — army training
  4. key — in music
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. stem — to come from
  10. land — ground
  11. drill — the tool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bulb — for light
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. key — the most important part
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bowl — a football final

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