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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spring — of water
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. snap — to click
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. spring — the season
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. board — a committee
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. key — the most important part
  24. board — a flat piece

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