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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rest — what's left
  5. club — for golf
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stem — to come from
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. dip — to sink
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. club — a group
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. perch — the fish
  18. key — in music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rest — what's left
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rest — a break
  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