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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 120 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. rest — a break
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rest — what's left
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. current — of water
  10. scale — in music
  11. root — of a word
  12. key — for a lock
  13. sharp — clever
  14. key — in music
  15. firm — a company
  16. root — of a plant
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. scale — size or range
  22. root — the cause
  23. firm — steady
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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