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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: prune · track · key · pass · scale · chest · lean · bay

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. chest — of your body
  3. scale — size or range
  4. key — in music
  5. lean — thin
  6. chest — of your body
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. track — to keep track
  12. chest — a box
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. scale — in music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lean — to bend
  20. key — for a lock
  21. prune — to trim
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. lean — to rest against

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