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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. toast — bread
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — of a river
  6. scale — in music
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — rain
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — clever
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mate — a partner
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. shower — to wash
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mate — a friend

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