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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. scale — size or range
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bank — for money
  10. saw — the tool
  11. rock — music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ground — the earth
  15. scale — in music
  16. key — in music
  17. ground — a position
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bank — for money
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. key — the most important part
  24. saw — the tool

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