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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. charge — electricity
  7. key — in music
  8. fall — the season
  9. can — to be able to
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stock — shares
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fork — in a road
  16. can — a tin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — in control
  19. fall — to drop
  20. charge — a price
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. can — a tin
  23. rule — government
  24. key — for a lock

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