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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 116 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: rest · key · kick · scale · bowl · fine · stem · pitcher

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stem — to come from
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. key — in music
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. kick — in football
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fine — all right
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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