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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — in music
  4. ground — crushed
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ground — a position
  7. object — a thing
  8. ground — the earth
  9. scale — size or range
  10. key — in music
  11. object — to protest
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. object — an aim
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. key — for a lock
  18. scale — for weighing

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