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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 116 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. drill — army training
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. drill — the tool
  6. club — for golf
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bound — certain
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. club — for dancing
  14. drill — a practice
  15. club — a group
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bound — obliged
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bound — tied together

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