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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. key — the most important part
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. key — for a lock
  9. foot — a measure
  10. game — wild animals
  11. fork — in a road
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. game — a match
  23. key — in music
  24. racket — for tennis

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