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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 116 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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a great time
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — the amount
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. file — a tool
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bulb — for light
  20. content — happy
  21. rock — music
  22. file — a document
  23. key — in music
  24. wind — to turn a key

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