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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. key — in music
  3. court — for sport
  4. tear — to rip
  5. firm — decided
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. tear — from crying
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. season — of the year
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tear — from crying
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. scale — in music
  18. season — in sport
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. scale — size or range
  24. chair — a leader

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