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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 116 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. key — the most important part
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — all right
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cue — for pool
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. key — in music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fall — the season

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