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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.

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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 · key · dip · trunk · ball · date · calf · stand

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. key — in music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. drill — a practice
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. ball — a great time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. ball — a dance
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. drill — army training
  23. date — the fruit
  24. stand — on your feet

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