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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. key — in music
  4. scale — in music
  5. row — to paddle
  6. key — the most important part
  7. wind — moving air
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rule — government
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rule — a law
  12. scale — size or range
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wind — moving air
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. row — a line
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pass — a permit
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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