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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — in control
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. key — for a lock
  8. charge — electricity
  9. key — in music
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — a price
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. object — a thing
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. object — an aim
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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