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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. court — for sport
  6. pop — music
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. court — of a king
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. court — of law
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pop — soda
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. key — the most important part

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