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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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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: staff · key · fine · snap · scale · pitch · file · tear

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. file — a tool
  3. staff — employees
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. snap — to click
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. file — a document
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. tear — from crying
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pitch — completely
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. staff — employees
  17. scale — in music
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. staff — a stick
  21. fine — all right
  22. file — a line of people
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. key — the most important part

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