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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. court — of a king
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stand — to bear
  5. key — the most important part
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. court — of law
  10. branch — a division
  11. lie — to recline
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. key — for a lock
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. court — for sport
  23. scale — in music
  24. branch — of a bank

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