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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. object — an aim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. drill — army training
  5. key — the most important part
  6. object — a thing
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — to protest
  12. content — the amount
  13. kick — in football
  14. rest — what's left
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. drill — the tool
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. content — happy
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rest — a break
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bulb — of a plant

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