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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bulb — for light
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bear — the animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. toast — bread
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — the most important part
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bulb — for light
  24. key — for a lock

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