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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. firm — steady
  5. key — in music
  6. firm — a company
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. mine — for digging
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — the most important part
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — a price
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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