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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: staff · drill · ball · wound · cell · roll · wake · bowl

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. ball — a dance
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. cell — in biology
  5. drill — army training
  6. cell — a phone
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. staff — employees
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. drill — the tool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wake — a trail
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bowl — to roll

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