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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
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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: foot · deal · key · band · can · drill · track · fall

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fall — to drop
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fall — to drop
  5. drill — the tool
  6. band — a music group
  7. track — a path
  8. deal — to handle
  9. key — in music
  10. band — a ring
  11. can — to be able to
  12. foot — a measure
  13. key — for a lock
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a song
  17. drill — a practice
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. fall — the season
  21. key — the most important part
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — army training

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