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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · leaves · rash · field · key · scale · bass · wave

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. field — farmland
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. scale — size or range
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rule — a law
  10. bass — low music
  11. field — for sport
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. scale — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rule — government
  18. field — a subject
  19. key — the most important part
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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