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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. key — in music
  5. content — the amount
  6. bank — of a river
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bank — for money
  12. charge — in control
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bank — for money
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — electricity
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. key — for a lock
  24. nail — for a hammer

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