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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. staff — employees
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rush — hurry
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rock — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — employees
  16. prune — to trim
  17. key — the most important part
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stem — to come from
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — a sick person
  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