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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.

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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rest — what's left
  5. march — the month
  6. rest — a break
  7. key — for a lock
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — to get on
  11. scale — in music
  12. march — music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. club — a group
  15. land — ground
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — a country
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. rest — what's left
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — the month
  24. land — to come down

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