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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · snap · nail · key · cell · race

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cell — a phone
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. stem — to come from
  6. race — humankind
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cell — in biology
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. key — for a lock
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. race — a contest
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. snap — to click

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