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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 120 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. foot — a measure
  3. key — in music
  4. staff — employees
  5. snap — to click
  6. content — the amount
  7. scale — in music
  8. suit — in cards
  9. scale — size or range
  10. content — happy
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. staff — a stick
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. scale — for weighing

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