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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: stand · mark · scale · season · key · cap · root · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — the cause
  3. season — in sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mark — a trace
  13. scale — size or range
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cap — a hat
  16. root — of a word
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. cap — of ice
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. season — of the year
  22. cap — a lid
  23. stand — to bear
  24. key — in music

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