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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. branch — a division
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — the sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. squash — to crush

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