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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 120 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: key · lash · scale · clip · foot · cabinet · lean · cue

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lean — to bend
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. clip — a video
  7. scale — in music
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lean — thin
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. clip — for paper
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. clip — to cut
  23. foot — a measure
  24. scale — size or range

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