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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. key — the most important part
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. branch — a division
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. cap — a lid
  15. key — in music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cap — a hat
  18. scale — in music
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cap — of ice
  23. vault — a safe
  24. branch — of a bank

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