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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bank — for money
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bank — for money
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rock — music
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wake — a trail
  17. key — in music
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stem — to come from

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