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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · fine · racket · stem · nail · bass · root · key

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. root — of a plant
  7. key — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. root — the cause
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fine — all right
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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