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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.

Make a worksheet

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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — the most important part
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. wind — moving air
  7. key — for a lock
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — in music
  17. rest — a break
  18. perch — the fish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — in music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mine — for digging
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wind — to turn a key

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