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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. spring — the season
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. key — the most important part
  7. spring — of water
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rule — a law
  10. rock — music
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. scale — size or range
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bat — the animal
  20. key — in music
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. scale — in music

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