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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · key · hide · stick · wind · fan

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wind — to turn a key

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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