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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: rule · content · stem · rash · toast · wave · pop · key

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pop — music
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rule — government
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pop — soda
  9. key — in music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rash — a series
  16. key — for a lock
  17. toast — bread
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. content — the amount
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rule — a law
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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