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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: hand · lie · stem · stick · scale · pass · bowl · key

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. key — in music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. scale — in music
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. scale — size or range
  13. hand — help
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stem — to come from
  18. hand — in cards
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pass — a permit
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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