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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: field · staff · row · track · scale · mark · key · stem

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. key — in music
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — a trace
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — to keep track
  11. field — farmland
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — the most important part
  18. field — a subject
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. row — a line
  21. track — a path
  22. field — for sport
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. staff — a stick

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