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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. last — finally
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. game — a match
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bass — low music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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