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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. key — for a lock
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mate — to breed
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — tied together
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rash — a series
  22. key — the most important part
  23. mate — a partner
  24. prune — the fruit

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