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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — size or range
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. key — the most important part
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. key — in music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rash — a series
  16. plane — a tool
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. key — for a lock
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — rain
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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