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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. season — in sport
  3. wake — a trail
  4. key — the most important part
  5. season — of the year
  6. key — for a lock
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. scale — size or range
  20. firm — decided
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. firm — a company

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