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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. kid — child
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bulb — for light
  12. staff — a stick
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ground — a position
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. kid — to tease
  22. suit — clothes
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ground — the earth

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