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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: arm · rash · track · key · cell · pass · stem · wake

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. track — a song
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rash — a series
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cell — a phone
  13. rash — hasty
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. wake — a trail
  19. track — to keep track
  20. key — in music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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