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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 112 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rock — music
  4. scale — in music
  5. kick — in football
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. key — the most important part
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. key — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. scale — size or range
  17. present — the time now
  18. rest — a break
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rest — what's left
  21. present — there
  22. key — for a lock
  23. rest — what's left
  24. present — a gift

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