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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · calf · cabinet · stem · current · scale · bark · wave

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stem — to come from
  5. scale — in music
  6. key — in music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. key — for a lock
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. current — electric
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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