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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. key — the most important part
  5. chip — to eat
  6. scale — size or range
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. current — electric
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. scale — in music
  17. key — in music
  18. stand — to bear
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — on your feet

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