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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chest — a box
  6. key — in music
  7. spring — a coil
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — to sink
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. kick — in football
  14. scale — in music
  15. spring — of water
  16. suit — to fit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. spring — the season
  21. bass — the fish
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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