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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. season — in sport
  3. key — in music
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. key — the most important part
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rest — a break
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. club — for golf
  14. stem — to come from
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rest — what's left
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. scale — size or range
  23. season — of the year
  24. rest — what's left

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