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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: racket · key · cabinet · drill · pass · prune · stem · capital

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. capital — a city
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stem — to come from
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. prune — to trim
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. drill — army training
  23. key — the most important part
  24. capital — money

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