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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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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 · club · bore · bank · stem · press · band · cap

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. bore — to drill
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stem — to come from
  9. press — newspapers
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bank — for money
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. key — in music
  14. cap — a hat
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. key — for a lock
  18. club — for dancing
  19. press — to push
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. press — a publisher

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