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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. face — part of the head
  3. rest — what's left
  4. clip — a video
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — size or range
  7. clip — for paper
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. clip — to cut
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. face — to point toward
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rest — a break
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. key — in music
  17. rest — what's left
  18. face — to confront

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