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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: ball · present · key · can · lean · fall · dip · drill

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fall — the season
  4. ball — a dance
  5. present — a gift
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. lean — to bend
  11. can — a tin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. key — in music
  14. drill — a practice
  15. key — for a lock
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. can — a tin
  19. drill — army training
  20. lean — thin
  21. drill — the tool
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. fall — to drop

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