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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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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. key — in music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. band — a ring
  5. cold — an illness
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. scale — size or range
  10. charge — a price
  11. key — the most important part
  12. charge — in control
  13. key — for a lock
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. band — a music group
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. spell — letters
  23. scale — in music
  24. cold — not warm

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