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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ground — the earth
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bulb — for light
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bulb — for light
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. club — a group
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — in music
  22. pass — a permit
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — for a lock

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