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

Word bank: scale · ground · perch · key · lean · rest · bear · cap

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. scale — in music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. ground — crushed
  9. cap — a hat
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — thin
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rest — a break
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lean — to bend
  19. scale — size or range
  20. key — for a lock
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rest — what's left
  23. ground — a position
  24. bear — the animal

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