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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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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 · hand · key · dip · rash · jam · scale · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. scale — in music
  3. dip — to sink
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rule — government
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. key — in music
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rash — hasty
  10. key — the most important part
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. key — for a lock
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rule — a law
  15. hand — in cards
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pound — a weight
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. hand — help
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rash — a series
  23. jam — in traffic
  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