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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cue — a signal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. clip — a video
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — a weight
  11. key — for a lock
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. clip — to cut
  24. key — 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