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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rash — a series
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mug — a face
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. land — to come down
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. kid — to tease
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. land — a country
  14. mug — to rob
  15. season — of the year
  16. rash — hasty
  17. season — in sport
  18. land — ground
  19. stem — to come from
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mug — a cup
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. kid — child

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