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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: hide · key · content · ruler · bay · wave · rash · scale

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rash — a series
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. key — for a lock
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. scale — in music
  11. content — happy
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rash — hasty
  14. key — in music
  15. content — the amount
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. key — the most important part
  19. scale — size or range
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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