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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: bank · bay · dip · staff · drill · spell · key · coach

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — letters
  5. bank — for money
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. spell — magic
  8. key — the most important part
  9. staff — employees
  10. key — in music
  11. bank — for money
  12. drill — army training
  13. bank — of a river
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. dip — to sink
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — for a lock
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bay — a horse colour

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