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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. stem — to come from
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — army training
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. drill — the tool
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — decided

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