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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rock — music
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. key — in music
  7. staff — employees
  8. bark — to shout
  9. key — the most important part
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. land — to come down
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. key — for a lock
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. land — ground
  17. staff — employees
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. rock — a stone
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rock — to move gently

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