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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: stem · roll · key · arm · bat · mug · drill · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. drill — a practice
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. drill — army training
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. key — the most important part
  11. key — for a lock
  12. mug — to rob
  13. roll — a list
  14. key — in music
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mug — a face
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bat — for baseball

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