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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ground — the earth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. key — for a lock
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. key — in music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. ground — crushed
  11. perch — the fish
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bulb — for light
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fork — in a road
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ground — a position

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