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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.

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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. track — a song
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. file — a document
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. saw — the tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. firm — decided
  24. track — a path

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