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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — to fit
  6. key — in music
  7. club — for golf
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. club — a group
  24. pass — to succeed

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