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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. scale — in music
  3. lean — thin
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — in music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spring — a coil
  17. toast — bread
  18. scale — size or range
  19. spring — the season
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. spring — of water
  22. wax — to grow
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cabinet — ministers

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