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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. scale — in music
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mug — a face
  9. bound — obliged
  10. key — the most important part
  11. cold — not warm
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mug — a cup
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cold — an illness
  16. suit — clothes
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bound — certain
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bound — tied together
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cold — the Cold War

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