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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. 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 — for weighing
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. march — the month
  5. degree — an amount
  6. track — a song
  7. degree — temperature
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. degree — from a university
  11. saw — the tool
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mark — a grade
  14. scale — size or range
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rest — a break
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. march — the month
  19. key — in music
  20. march — music
  21. mark — a trace
  22. track — a path
  23. scale — in music
  24. 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