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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. file — a tool
  2. key — the most important part
  3. object — a thing
  4. file — a line of people
  5. scale — in music
  6. fine — high quality
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. key — in music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hand — in cards
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fine — all right
  14. object — to protest
  15. hand — help
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. object — an aim
  20. file — a document
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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