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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.

Make a worksheet

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: snap · land · rush · scale · key · game · toast · pound

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. land — a country
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. rush — hurry
  7. scale — size or range
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. key — in music
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. land — ground
  15. game — a match
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. game — wild animals
  20. land — to come down
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. key — for a lock
  24. snap — to click

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