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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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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fall — to drop
  3. court — of law
  4. key — the most important part
  5. court — for sport
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. key — in music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fall — the season
  18. court — of a king
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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