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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · key · spell · rest · cue · stem · ground · wound

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. cue — for pool
  3. spell — magic
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rest — what's left
  6. key — in music
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. spell — letters
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ground — a position
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. key — for a lock
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rest — a break
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. spell — a short time
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cue — a signal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stem — to come from
  24. ground — the earth

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