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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: net · nail · foot · stem · coach · scale · prune · key

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. prune — to trim
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. net — in sport
  7. scale — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. key — for a lock
  13. net — after costs
  14. foot — a measure
  15. key — in music
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. prune — to trim
  18. net — for catching
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. key — the most important part
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. scale — size or range

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