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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 120 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. key — in music
  4. row — to paddle
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ball — a dance
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fine — all right
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. key — for a lock
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitcher — a jug

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