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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. scale — for weighing
  2. rush — hurry
  3. scale — in music
  4. key — in music
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. rest — what's left
  8. scale — size or range
  9. track — a song
  10. key — the most important part
  11. roll — a list
  12. fall — the season
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fall — to drop
  15. staff — a stick
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. roll — a cake
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rest — a break
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. track — a path
  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