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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. pop — soda
  3. row — a line
  4. pop — music
  5. ground — a position
  6. rest — a break
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. scale — in music
  11. row — to paddle
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. suit — clothes
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. key — for a lock
  24. stand — for spectators

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