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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: track · key · wound · club · chair · rock · row · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rock — music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. track — a path
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rock — a stone
  9. scale — size or range
  10. row — a line
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. club — a group
  13. key — in music
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chair — a leader
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. track — a song
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. club — for golf
  23. row — to paddle
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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