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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. track — a path
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. track — to keep track
  9. firm — decided
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. season — of the year
  13. firm — a company
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. season — in sport
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. tube — the underground
  18. key — the most important part
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — a song
  21. key — in music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. tube — a container
  24. stand — to bear

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