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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rock — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. key — for a lock
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ground — the earth
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. key — in music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mate — to breed
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ground — a position
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rest — a break
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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