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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mug — to rob
  4. key — for a lock
  5. scale — in music
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. key — in music
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. key — the most important part
  12. kid — to tease
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rule — a law
  17. rash — a series
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rash — hasty
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mug — a face
  22. rule — government
  23. kid — child
  24. mug — a cup

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