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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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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: can · bowl · land · stem · patient · key · cue · nail

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. land — ground
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. can — a tin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. key — in music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. key — for a lock
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. land — to come down
  23. key — the most important part
  24. land — a country

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