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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · scale · key · lie · jam · press · bass · ground

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. press — to push
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. press — newspapers
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lie — to recline
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bass — low music
  22. press — a publisher
  23. ground — a position
  24. scale — for weighing

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