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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: present · key · nail · stem · scale · pound · swing · leaves

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. scale — in music
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. swing — in golf
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. swing — music
  10. key — in music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. key — for a lock
  13. present — there
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. stem — to come from
  17. key — the most important part
  18. present — a gift
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. present — the time now
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. scale — size or range
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. nail — for a hammer

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