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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. snap — to click
  2. key — in music
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bank — for money
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — of a river
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. key — for a lock
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bound — tied together
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bank — for money
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. patient — a sick person
  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