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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. key — the most important part
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. scale — in music
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. row — a line
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wake — a trail
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. prune — to trim
  17. row — to paddle
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. scale — size or range
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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