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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. track — to keep track
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. scale — in music
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. season — in sport
  11. track — a path
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. snap — to click
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. key — in music

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