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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bulb — for light
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. key — in music
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. key — the most important part
  11. rock — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. can — a tin
  14. key — for a lock
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. roll — a cake
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. roll — a list
  22. chair — a leader
  23. can — a tin
  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