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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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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: bass · stem · safe · rock · last · squash · staff · key

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — for a lock
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. last — to go on
  5. staff — employees
  6. bass — low music
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. staff — a stick
  9. last — final
  10. staff — employees
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bass — the fish
  17. last — finally
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. key — the most important part
  20. rock — music
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. key — in music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. squash — to crush

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