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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rush — hurry
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bulb — for light
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rush — to hurry

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