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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: key · stem · pop · pit · deal · lie · bear · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pop — soda
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. deal — to handle
  12. key — the most important part
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. key — in music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lie — an untruth

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