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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. key — in music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. key — the most important part
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bulb — for light
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wound — an injury
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — clever
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. hide — to keep secret

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