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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — certain
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bass — the fish
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. key — in music
  12. current — happening now
  13. pop — music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. current — of water
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bound — tied together
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bass — low music

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