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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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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: sharp · ruler · scale · pass · pit · key · suit · cell

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cell — in biology
  10. key — in music
  11. cell — a phone
  12. scale — in music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pass — a permit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pit — a hole
  24. sharp — with an edge

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