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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bulb — for light
  6. land — ground
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — to come down
  9. toast — bread
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. key — in music
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. land — a country
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a great time
  24. date — the fruit

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