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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. content — happy
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pop — music
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pop — soda
  19. staff — employees
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — a trail
  22. key — in music
  23. bass — low music
  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