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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: stem · stand · key · prune · club · object · fall · safe

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stem — to come from
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. object — an aim
  5. club — for golf
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. fall — the season
  9. key — the most important part
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stand — to bear
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fall — to drop
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. key — in music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. key — for a lock
  24. club — a group

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