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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 120 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. 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. scale — in music
  2. present — a gift
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. present — the time now
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. scale — size or range
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. present — there
  18. 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