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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. board — to get on
  3. key — in music
  4. pop — music
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. key — for a lock
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — a committee
  10. pop — to visit
  11. suit — clothes
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — to fit
  16. pop — soda
  17. tear — from crying
  18. key — the most important part
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — a break
  23. scale — in music
  24. tear — to rip

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