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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: key · cell · drill · squash · spell · foot · object · can

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cell — in biology
  3. object — a thing
  4. spell — magic
  5. drill — the tool
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. key — the most important part
  8. can — a tin
  9. squash — the sport
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. key — in music
  12. spell — a short time
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. can — a tin
  18. spell — letters
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. cell — a phone
  22. drill — a practice
  23. foot — a measure
  24. key — for a lock

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