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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. craft — boats
  3. rule — a law
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. rule — government
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pop — soda
  14. craft — a skill
  15. charge — in control
  16. last — final
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pound — a weight
  22. charge — a price
  23. bulb — for light
  24. charge — electricity

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