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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 · roll · key · scale · capital · stand · firm · stick

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. firm — decided
  5. roll — a list
  6. drill — a practice
  7. scale — size or range
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. capital — a city
  13. stand — to bear
  14. capital — money
  15. firm — steady
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — a company
  20. key — in music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. key — the most important part
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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