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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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Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. key — for a lock
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pit — a hole
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pit — in a race
  10. squash — the sport
  11. branch — a division
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — a cup
  16. key — in music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. prune — to trim
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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