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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. root — of a word
  6. bass — low music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pitch — completely
  13. root — the cause
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fall — the season
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bound — certain
  22. key — in music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. rush — hurry

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