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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: key · wound · stand · chest · stem · track · mark · vault

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. track — a song
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. track — a path
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mark — a grade
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. key — in music
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wound — an injury
  24. vault — a safe

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