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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: swing · lash · wake · ground · key · nail · mouse · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. swing — to play on
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. swing — music
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wake — a trail
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — to come from

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