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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. key — for a lock
  3. staff — a stick
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — wild animals
  7. staff — employees
  8. key — the most important part
  9. game — a match
  10. pitch — completely
  11. key — in music
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. charge — a price
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. prune — to trim
  17. staff — employees
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bulb — for light

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