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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. key — for a lock
  4. fine — high quality
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fine — all right
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. track — a path
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — in control
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wound — an injury
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — the most important part
  19. charge — a price
  20. track — a song
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. charge — electricity
  23. object — a thing
  24. stem — of a plant

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