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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — completely
  12. key — the most important part
  13. degree — temperature
  14. deal — to handle
  15. drill — the tool
  16. degree — an amount
  17. fine — high quality
  18. degree — from a university
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. key — in music
  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