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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. key — in music
  3. scale — in music
  4. present — there
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pit — a hole
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. staff — employees
  15. present — a gift
  16. pit — in a race
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. rush — hurry
  21. tube — a container
  22. staff — employees
  23. key — the most important part
  24. present — the time now

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