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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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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: ruler · wind · bear · stem · key · cabinet · bass · racket

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bear — the animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. key — in music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bass — low music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bass — the fish

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