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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
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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: stem · mine · bank · kick · plane · date · key · roll

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. kick — in football
  4. key — for a lock
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bank — for money
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bank — for money
  16. roll — a cake
  17. date — the fruit
  18. key — in music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mine — for digging
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — on a roll

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