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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. kid — to tease
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. foot — a measure
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. spell — magic
  8. key — in music
  9. board — to get on
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. kid — child
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. spell — a short time
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spell — letters

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