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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. scale — size or range
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bank — for money
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stem — to come from
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — a phone
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. key — the most important part
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. key — in music

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