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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. firm — steady
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. fork — in a road
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ground — crushed
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — decided
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. degree — temperature
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. firm — a company
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — an amount
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ground — a position
  24. staff — employees

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