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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stem · key · rock · leaves · rule · bowl · nail · rash

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. key — the most important part
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rule — a law
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — a series
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rule — government
  19. key — in music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rock — a stone
  22. stem — to come from
  23. key — for a lock
  24. leaves — of a tree

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