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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. present — a gift
  3. capital — money
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. present — there
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — to tire
  11. capital — a city
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. swing — music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. present — the time now
  20. swing — to play on
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — in music

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