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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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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 · racket · stem · fine · lash · pit · lean · band

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lean — thin
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pit — a hole
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stem — to come from
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lean — to bend
  16. band — a ring
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. fine — all right
  19. key — for a lock
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — high quality
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. key — the most important part
  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