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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. key — in music
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pop — to visit
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. scale — size or range
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. kick — in football
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pop — soda
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. branch — a division
  21. board — to get on
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. scale — in music
  24. board — a committee

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