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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pound — a weight
  4. staff — employees
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — in music
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lean — thin
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. key — the most important part
  12. scale — size or range
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. chest — of your body
  19. staff — employees
  20. chest — a box
  21. wax — to grow
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  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