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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.

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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 · stick · cold · stem · pass · firm · mate · track

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. track — a path
  3. firm — a company
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — in music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cold — an illness
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mate — to breed
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stem — a stem cell

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