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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. net — after costs
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. net — in sport
  9. rest — a break
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pop — soda
  12. club — for dancing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. net — for catching
  15. spell — letters
  16. club — for golf
  17. key — the most important part
  18. spell — a short time
  19. key — in music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — music
  22. spell — magic
  23. club — a group
  24. scale — in 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