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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. spring — a coil
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. key — for a lock
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. spring — the season
  10. scale — size or range
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rest — a break
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spring — of water
  21. key — the most important part
  22. track — to keep track
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. patient — a sick person

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