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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — for a lock
  5. capital — a city
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — for golf
  11. key — in music
  12. mug — to rob
  13. face — part of the head
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. face — to confront
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. squash — to crush
  21. face — to point toward
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mug — a cup

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