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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rest — what's left
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rest — a break
  18. scale — in music
  19. sharp — clever
  20. hand — help
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. hand — in cards
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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