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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pop — music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rest — a break
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rest — what's left
  13. staff — employees
  14. spring — of water
  15. pop — soda
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. spring — the season
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — in music
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pop — to visit

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