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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. object — an aim
  5. branch — a division
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. tube — the underground
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stem — to come from
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. object — to protest
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. tube — a container
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fine — a penalty

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