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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. club — a group
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. club — for golf
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bank — for money
  8. band — a music group
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rash — hasty
  11. key — the most important part
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. band — a ring
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rash — a series
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bank — for money
  20. club — for dancing
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — a tool
  24. rash — on the skin

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