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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: key · ruler · scale · mug · ground · content · foot · bear

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. scale — in music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mug — to rob
  6. key — in music
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ground — a position
  9. scale — size or range
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — the amount
  17. bear — the animal
  18. content — happy
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mug — a face
  21. ground — the earth
  22. foot — a measure
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mug — a cup

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