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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pop — soda
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — in music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — for sport
  17. club — a group
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. field — a subject
  21. club — for golf
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bulb — for light

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