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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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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 · fork · vault · stem · drill · bank · bulb · wake

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. key — for a lock
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. key — in music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. drill — army training
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bulb — for light
  22. drill — a practice
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fork — in a road

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