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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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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: band · object · fine · spell · spring · stem · bound · key

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. spring — the season
  3. object — an aim
  4. spell — magic
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fine — high quality
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. key — the most important part
  12. spring — of water
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. spring — a coil
  15. band — a music group
  16. key — in music
  17. stem — to come from
  18. band — a ring
  19. object — a thing
  20. fine — all right
  21. bound — certain
  22. object — to protest
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. spell — letters

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