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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bound — obliged
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bass — low music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — in music
  17. court — of a king
  18. key — for a lock
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. shower — rain
  24. bound — certain

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