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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rock — a stone
  4. chip — to eat
  5. scale — in music
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pound — a weight
  9. key — in music
  10. snap — to click
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. spring — a coil
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. spring — of water
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. stem — to come from
  21. scale — size or range
  22. rock — music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. key — the most important part

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