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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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Word bank
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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: dip · track · deal · bank · wake · key · stem · hand

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. key — in music
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. track — a path
  8. wake — a trail
  9. track — a song
  10. hand — help
  11. bank — for money
  12. track — to keep track
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. key — for a lock
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. key — the most important part
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. hand — in cards

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