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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. cap — a lid
  6. key — the most important part
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. shower — rain
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rock — music
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. shower — to wash
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bulb — for light
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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