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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. key — in music
  3. charge — a price
  4. bulb — for light
  5. kid — child
  6. key — for a lock
  7. pop — music
  8. degree — from a university
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. charge — in control
  11. degree — temperature
  12. pop — to visit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — soda
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — electricity
  21. kid — to tease
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bulb — of a plant

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