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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. face — to confront
  4. key — for a lock
  5. fork — in a road
  6. staff — employees
  7. face — part of the head
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. current — electric
  14. scale — in music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. staff — a stick

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