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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. row — a line
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wake — a trail
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. dip — to sink
  10. clip — to cut
  11. key — for a lock
  12. clip — a video
  13. key — in music
  14. row — to paddle
  15. stem — to come from
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. clip — for paper
  20. rock — music
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stem — a stem cell

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