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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: stem · nail · chip · row · cabinet · key · bear · toast

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. row — a line
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — for betting
  8. row — to paddle
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. toast — bread
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. key — for a lock
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — in music
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bear — the animal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cabinet — ministers

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