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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. charge — in control
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bank — for money
  8. charge — a price
  9. root — the cause
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. key — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — the most important part
  17. root — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — of a word
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bank — of a river
  24. charge — electricity

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