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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — decided
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. key — the most important part
  8. firm — steady
  9. bulb — for light
  10. key — in music
  11. track — a song
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — a break
  14. firm — a company
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rest — what's left
  19. key — for a lock
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. ball — a great time
  23. present — there
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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