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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pop — music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pop — soda
  5. mug — a face
  6. scale — size or range
  7. key — for a lock
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. key — the most important part
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. scale — in music
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. nail — for a hammer

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