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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 knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — in music
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bulb — for light
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pop — music
  11. sharp — clever
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pop — to visit
  15. key — the most important part
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pop — soda
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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