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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: drill · bass · stem · staff · ground · bank · squash · pit

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bank — for money
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bass — the fish
  10. staff — employees
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. drill — army training
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bass — low music
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — the sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. drill — the tool

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