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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 120 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: drill · rash · lean · prune · fan · stand · key · dip

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. stand — for spectators
  2. rash — a series
  3. drill — army training
  4. dip — to sink
  5. key — the most important part
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — thin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lean — to bend
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — in music
  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