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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.

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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: staff · scale · root · racket · rule · bay · key · chest

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. scale — size or range
  3. rule — government
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. rule — a law
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. scale — in music
  9. root — of a plant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chest — of your body
  15. key — in music
  16. chest — a box
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. root — the cause
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. root — of a word
  23. key — the most important part
  24. rule — to rule out

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