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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.

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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wind — moving air
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. scale — in music
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wind — moving air
  22. scale — size or range
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mouse — the animal

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