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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. key — for a lock
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cell — in biology
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. prune — to trim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cell — a phone
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. scale — size or range
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. prune — to trim
  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