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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. dip — to sink
  5. face — to confront
  6. scale — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cue — for pool
  9. spring — the season
  10. cue — a signal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bass — the fish
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. spring — of water
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cue — a hint
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bass — low music

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