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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. craft — boats
  3. degree — from a university
  4. key — in music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. craft — a skill
  7. present — a gift
  8. lean — to bend
  9. club — for golf
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. degree — temperature
  15. club — a group
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. lean — thin
  18. present — there
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. degree — an amount
  23. present — the time now
  24. key — the most important part

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