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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. key — in music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. scale — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fine — all right
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rule — government
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. rest — a break
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rule — a law
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fine — high quality

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