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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ball — a great time
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. row — a line
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cue — a hint
  7. current — of water
  8. key — in music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — for pool
  12. scale — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. current — electric
  15. land — ground
  16. land — to come down
  17. rush — hurry
  18. ball — a dance
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. key — the most important part
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cue — a signal
  24. land — a country

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