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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ball — a great time
  7. key — in music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chair — a leader
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. season — in sport
  14. mark — a grade
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. season — of the year
  22. present — a gift
  23. ball — a dance
  24. present — there

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