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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. can — to be able to
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pop — music
  6. present — a gift
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pop — soda
  11. present — there
  12. key — in music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. band — a music group
  16. can — a tin
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. band — a ring
  20. present — the time now
  21. can — a tin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bulb — of a plant

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