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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
468
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: cell · bass · land · stand · key · bulb · leaves · spell

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. spell — magic
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. land — ground
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — a phone
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bulb — for light
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. land — to come down
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — a country
  19. bass — low music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spell — letters
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. key — in music
  24. bass — the fish

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