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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. branch — a division
  4. mug — a face
  5. spell — a short time
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bulb — for light
  11. saw — the tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pop — music
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pop — to visit
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. key — in music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spell — magic
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mug — to rob
  23. spell — letters
  24. pop — soda

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