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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. object — a thing
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. object — an aim
  7. board — to get on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. board — a committee
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bulb — for light
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. key — for a lock
  18. can — a tin
  19. key — the most important part
  20. object — to protest
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ruler — for measuring

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