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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. key — the most important part
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. field — a subject
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rest — a break
  12. field — for sport
  13. rule — government
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bass — low music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rest — what's left
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. field — farmland
  21. bass — the fish
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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