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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. track — a song
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cue — for pool
  5. key — in music
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. deal — to handle
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — to keep track
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. cue — a signal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. swing — to play on
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. track — a path
  19. swing — in golf
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. swing — music
  23. cue — a hint
  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