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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. present — the time now
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. key — in music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. march — music
  10. object — a thing
  11. key — for a lock
  12. object — to protest
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. march — the month
  16. present — a gift
  17. object — an aim
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. saw — the tool
  20. present — there
  21. march — the month
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bulb — for light
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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