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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. key — the most important part
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. roll — a list
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bulb — for light
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — low music
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — for a lock
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wound — an injury
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. key — 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