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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: court · stem · race · key · branch · scale · root · perch

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — for a lock
  3. root — of a plant
  4. scale — in music
  5. root — the cause
  6. perch — the fish
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. race — a contest
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. root — of a word
  13. court — for sport
  14. court — of law
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. scale — size or range
  17. race — humankind
  18. stem — to come from
  19. key — the most important part
  20. race — the arms race
  21. court — of a king
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. branch — a division

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