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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. scale — in music
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. court — of law
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. key — for a lock
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fall — to drop
  14. key — the most important part
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. court — of a king
  19. fall — the season
  20. key — in music
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fall — to drop
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. court — for sport

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