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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. key — in music
  4. spell — a short time
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. roll — a list
  7. suit — in cards
  8. scale — size or range
  9. rock — a stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. spell — letters
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rock — music
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. scale — in music
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — to fit
  20. key — the most important part
  21. spell — magic
  22. club — a group
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. key — for a lock

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