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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a music group
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — to bend
  11. key — in music
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — a hole
  16. spring — a coil
  17. band — a ring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. scale — in music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. spring — of water
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. spring — the season

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