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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. spell — magic
  4. scale — in music
  5. spell — a short time
  6. net — in sport
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — for a lock
  10. scale — size or range
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — the most important part
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. spell — letters
  18. net — after costs
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. net — for catching
  23. staff — a stick
  24. foot — a measure

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