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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. staff — employees
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bank — for money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. game — wild animals
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pop — soda
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wake — a trail
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. game — a match
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pop — music
  24. wake — before a funeral

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