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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: ground · wax · scale · chip · rest · key · pit · lie

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — a hole
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rest — a break
  7. ground — crushed
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. scale — in music
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ground — a position
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. key — the most important part
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pit — in a race
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — an untruth

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