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

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bat — the animal
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — the most important part
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. key — in music
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — soda

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