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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. key — for a lock
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. key — the most important part
  9. object — a thing
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. key — in music
  12. pop — soda
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. object — an aim
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. pop — to visit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mine — for digging
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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