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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. key — in music
  4. file — a line of people
  5. scale — size or range
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. file — a tool
  8. scale — in music
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. toast — bread
  12. key — for a lock
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. file — a document
  19. field — a subject
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. key — the most important part

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